


Forever

by F1_rabbit



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-20
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-31 10:38:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 47
Words: 131,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3975019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F1_rabbit/pseuds/F1_rabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kevin's ten years old and he loves karting.  This summer he's going to have two foreign exchange students staying with him, Alex and his older brother Nico.  Kevin ends up developing a crush on Nico but will he ever get to see him again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Exchange - 2003

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fasterthanthetardis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fasterthanthetardis/gifts), [Missbeccif1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missbeccif1/gifts), [hopefulstranger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopefulstranger/gifts), [f1championship](https://archiveofourown.org/users/f1championship/gifts).



"So can I do it? Please mum?" Kevin put on his biggest grin and his best innocent little angel look.

"Oh honey, you're only ten. Maybe we could go on holiday?" his mum said, she didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm for travel, or learning a new language but ten was just so young to be away from home without anyone that he knew. School trips were one thing, he had lots of friends with him and she knew all the teachers, she went to school with most of them, grew up with them. But letting him go on a foreign exchange with strangers, she wasn't sure about that, although just the two of them going on holiday wasn't the same either.

"I'm nearly eleven!" Kevin said, waving his hands, although only being April he was actually ten and a half but in his mind that was nearly eleven.

"How about we take in a foreign exchange student this summer and then in the future you could go visit them? How does that sound?" she was hoping Kevin would see this as an acceptable solution, she tried not to worry about him but he was her baby, her only child.

Kevin's eyes lit up at the suggestion and it filled her heart with love. "That sounds great! Thanks mum!" he said. He skipped off to his room filled with excitement at all the fun things this summer would hold for him.

After dinner Kevin sat with his mum and filled in all the forms for the foreign exchange programme so that he could take them back to school tomorrow. There was a whole week before the deadline for the forms but Kevin was so excited about meeting new people that he wanted to do it straight away. Kevin was learning German at school and he would have loved to go to Germany, but having an actual German person stay with them was going to be great too.

A week's gone by and every day Kevin runs home from school to ask his mum if the letter has arrived. He bursts in the door to see his mum standing, waiting, letter in her hand and a big smile on her face.

"It's here!" Kevin said, as he rushed in to hug his mum. She told him to go wash before dinner and _then_ they would open the letter. He scurried off and was back waiting at the table in no time at all. She watched him eat, worried that he might choke if he kept shovelling food in at that speed but once the plate was empty she got the letter and they went to sit on the sofa.

Kevin was sitting on her knee, he was a little bit big for it but she knew that soon he would be a teenager, so she appreciated it while she still could. He rubbed his hands in delight as she opened the envelope, like they were opening the envelope for an award show, and Kevin grabbed at the letter once it was out.

He scans the letter but only really took in the important parts; that they were getting to take part in the exchange and that there were two Germans coming to stay with them, two brothers. One was Kevin's age and the other was a little bit older. His mum took the letter and read it all over; she was the one who had to call them to confirm all the details. She promised Kevin that she would do it tomorrow while he was at school, after she gets back from the stables.

*****

Three months crept by. Kevin was starting to think that time was slowing and it would actually come to a stop before July arrived. He had been e-mailing Alex for a couple of months, they both loved racing and he has offered to take him and his older brother, Nico, karting while they were here.

At dinner Kevin was babbling away about all the things they were going to get up to in the two weeks. She had checked with the boys' parents that they were okay with them going karting and horse riding, as well as getting a list of allergies, favourite foods and the emergency contact information.

"I'm so glad you're excited!" she said. It was going to be hard work looking after three children for a couple of weeks but it would be worth it to see her baby happy.

She managed to put all his excited energy to good use; Kevin helped her tidy the entire house and it was way past his bedtime when he finally got to sleep, exhausted from all the cleaning. But it was the only way that he was going to sleep; she used to have to do the same at Christmas, when he was younger Kevin believed that Santa would only visit tidy houses. Although now, every Christmas, he did it just to help his mum out, he was a little too old to believe in Santa.

*****

It was a bright summer's day, one of those days where it feels like the sun's rays were energising him, where anything was possible. Kevin woke up with the light on his face and it felt like the world was smiling at him.

He was jumping on his mum's bed trying to get her to wake up. She turned into the tickle monster for a while until he was tired enough to curl up next to her and get another couple of hours of sleep.

She was trying to get Kevin to eat his breakfast but he was just so excited. There was cereal falling out of his mouth as he talked and she was trying not to laugh at him. Eventually most of it got eaten and he was rushing to get dressed so that they could walk to the station to meet Alex and Nico.

They studied the arrival board carefully until they found the boys' train. Kevin was dragging his mum through the crowds, forgetting that he was smaller than her, and she was apologising to everyone that they passed all the way to the platform.

He was scanning along the platform trying to see Alex, but it was futile, they were both so much shorter than all the adults. Eventually the crowd leaving the train thinned and there was Alex, standing next to a taller blond man, Nico, he presumed. His hair was spiky and there was a slight chubbiness to his face, like puberty wasn't quite finished with him yet, and he was fidgeting with his glasses nervously as he looked about the station. Kevin was stopped in his tracks just at the sight of him.

Eventually Alex saw Kevin and his mum, and ran across to them. Kevin and Alex hugged while Nico just stood behind them awkwardly, he was carrying both their bags and he was smiling in a way that suggests he was anything but actually happy.

Kevin's mum introduced herself to Nico while the two younger boys chatted away. "I'm Britt," she said, putting out a hand.

Nico smiled a real smile and shook her hand. "I'm Nico," he said, even though she must have known his name already but somehow doing it this way made him feel more like a grown up. Although he was going to be sixteen in just over a month, he was only here to look after Alex, he had bugged their mum about doing this and she had said he could go only if his big brother went with him.

Britt took one of the bags before locating the two younger boys, Kevin was already leading Alex towards the exit but her and Nico caught up to them without too much effort. As they walked back to the house Nico told Britt all about his plans for the future, he was really into his karting but he knew that he needed to do well in his exams too. Nico asked what she does and she was so used to being around people who knew everything about her, that she grew up with, that it was odd to actually talk about herself.

Once they were in the house Britt gave them the tour of the house, so that they know where all the important things were, and that if they needed anything through the night just to knock on her door. She was a light sleeper anyway and she wouldn't sleep any better if she was worrying about the two of them settling in.

Alex dived into the spare room that they were going to be staying in and called dibs on the bed in there, leaving the fold out bed for Nico. Britt was about to intervene but Nico muttered something about a fold out bed being cooler anyway. The room was quite big but sparsely furnished; it hadn't been used in a long time. Kevin was standing next to her watching expectantly, no-one was really sure what to do now and it wasn't quite time for lunch.

"Can we see your karting trophies?" Nico asked Kevin. Alex had told him everything about Kevin and how he had won lots of races at his local karting track. Kevin grinned, beaming with joy; he darted into the room and took Nico's hand before leading him to his own room. Nico made sure to grab Alex with his free hand and on his way out of the room Nico gives Britt a small nod, a little gesture that said, _I've got this_ , and Britt was relieved to have someone on her side. Even if it was just someone to occupy the little ones while she made lunch for everyone.

Kevin was finished showing off his trophies, Alex was so envious as he was the only one that didn't have any trophies yet. Nico ended up telling both of them about his various adventures in karting and the two younger boys listened intently, they couldn't wait to be able to drive the big karts.

*****

Unsurprisingly, the first thing the boys wanted to do was go karting. Britt had got a feeling that they were going to spend a lot of time here in the next two weeks. Kevin was trying to chat to Alex and Nico in German and she was praying that they won't teach him any naughty words. Although it was really nice to see him actually getting to use his German.

Once the supervisor at the track had made sure that they understood how to work everything and all the rules for the track, they headed out in their karts to do a few practice laps before they raced.

It wasn't a particularly big track and the race was going to be over ten laps. The three of them were lined up on the start line and even though they had their helmets on, Britt could tell that they were all smiling away underneath.

Nico should have been faster than Alex and Kevin but he was deliberately hanging back, he was overtaking them in such a way that they could easily take the place back at the next corner without too much fuss. There was fists waving and as they came round onto the last lap Kevin was just ahead of Alex with Nico tactfully trailing behind them. The last corner Kevin slid his car wide on the corner, allowing Alex to slip past and win the race. It was a clumsy move and given how he had driven the rest of the race, completely unexpected. _Probably deliberate_ , Nico thought.

As they walked back along to the house Alex was showing his trophy to Britt, he was so happy to finally have a trophy of his own. Nico was walking alongside Kevin when he signalled for him to stop. He bent down to whisper in Kevin's ear, "Thank you."

*****

They had been so lucky with the weather, it was another bright sunny day, and Britt had taken the boys down to the beach. After making sure that they were fully covered in sunscreen. They were all blond and pale; she didn't want to be taking care of sunburnt children.

The smell of the sea was invigorating and there was a lovely cool breeze. Nico would love to be this close to the sea all the time, but where they live was landlocked. There was a river but it didn't have beaches and it didn't smell this good, there was more of a stale smell to it. So he was going to enjoy this while he could. He left his clothes in a pile on the beach and ran into the ocean.

Kevin was building a sandcastle with Alex; it was a huge castle with an actual moat and a drawbridge that was made out of the box that their biscuits were in. The biscuits didn't even last an hour between the three of them. Nico ate most of them, no wonder he was so tall.

Alex was telling Kevin all about his girlfriend, Ariane, and how she liked cars too, and how she was so pretty, and that they held hands and it felt nice. Kevin was desperately trying to focus on what Alex was saying but Nico was wandering out of the sea, dripping with water and shaking his hair out. Nico strolled up to where they left their clothes and bags, before pulling on his t-shirt on and then drying his glasses on it.

Nico lay out in the sun next to them, reading a book about the history of Formula one. Kevin kept glancing across at him, fascinated by every movement, until the sandcastle was finished and after a suitable amount of time is spent admiring it, Kevin went to lie in the sand next to Nico.

He awkwardly asked him what he was reading, in German, and Nico offered to read it out loud to him. Kevin's ability to speak German was so much better than his ability to read it. Nico read out the bits he was really interested in, Formula one in the 1970s, Hunt and Lauda, and their rivalry. Kevin hangs on every word as though Nico was telling him the secrets of the universe.

The peace and quiet was rudely interrupted by Alex dumping a bucket of sand over Nico's back and it turned into a game of catch, ending with Nico and Kevin dragging Alex into the sea as revenge. Britt handed them all blankets but their clothes were soaked and it wasn't going to be sunny for much longer, so they headed back to the house for dinner.

After dinner Alex and Nico went to call their parents, Britt let them use the phone in her room. She was sitting on the sofa with Kevin when he asked about girlfriends. Kevin told her what Alex had said about his girlfriend.

"What if I felt like that about a boy?" Kevin asked. He had seen that some of his male friends had girlfriends and some of his female friends had boyfriends, but never a male friend with a boyfriend. "Could they be my boyfriend?" he said, and there's so much hope in his voice.

She had noticed that Kevin had developed quite a crush on Nico, but she wasn't sure if it was just because he was looking for a male role model in his life, since his father left.

"Yes, of course they can," she knew that they'd have to have this talk soon, what with him going to high school next year. "But they have to want to be your boyfriend too," she added, she was hoping that she'd get a little bit longer before Kevin had to grow up.

Once Alex and Nico return, Britt watched Kevin position himself so that he was next to Nico on the sofa, she really hoped that he wouldn't be too sad when the boys had to go home.

*****

The train into Copenhagen didn't take long and before they knew it they were there. It was a really busy station and before they get off the train Britt took Kevin's hand and told Alex to take Nico's hand. Kevin was a little bit annoyed that he didn't get to hold Nico's hand, he liked how it felt.

Britt had got their day planned out; the National museum first, a walk through the botanic gardens where they could eat their lunch, then Tivoli, the amusement park, in the afternoon and finally burgers for dinner before they caught the train. Hopefully by the time they got home the kids would be ready to sleep.

The museum was so big that they just agreed a time to meet at the main entrance, Kevin and Alex immediately rushed to the Vikings section, with all the weapons and armour, and there was even real Viking skeletons.

Nico heads to the Middle Ages section, he was going to have to do a report on this for school but he wasn't really one for history unless it involved cars.

After an hour of taking notes and photos, Nico was bored and he wandered round to try and find Alex and Kevin. When he finally caught up with them they were in a small dark room, there was two preserved skeletons in glass cases and there was the sound of an insect filled swamp on a full moon playing as background noise.

It was too good an opportunity to waste and Nico leapt into the room while roaring. Both of the boys squeaked in fright before laughing that 'it's just Nico'. Alex wandered up to his big brother and not so playfully punched him in the arm, so Kevin did the same. Nico ruffled their hair, annoying both of them and Kevin lead the way to the next room with fun things in it.

At the botanic gardens, the trees rustled in the slight breeze. The various flowers and blossoms give the air a delicate fragrance and even though they were in the centre of the biggest city, you couldn't hear the traffic or dull roar of the city itself, the trees blocked it all out and made it feel like it was an alternate dimension that they had wandered into.

They had regrouped and found a nice place to sit in the gardens, thankfully the weather was lovely and as she dished out the sandwiches and snacks, she marvels in how nice this time had been and how good it had been for Kevin. His German had really improved and she knows that all she was going to hear for the next year is how excited he was to actually go and visit.

Tivoli was packed because it was the summer holidays and the boys head off to go on the rides. Britt found somewhere to sit and have a coffee while she read her book. The rides weren't really her thing.

Kevin was hardly ever allowed to have junk food so this was a real treat for him. He was trying to savour each bite but he was so hungry from running around Tivoli, they had wanted to cram in as many rides as they could so they ran from one to the next. Kevin loved all of the fast rides, the ones that really throw you about, but Alex didn't feel good after a couple of rides and ended up sitting with Britt. She couldn't even watch when Kevin was on the rides. And Kevin was just so happy to have Nico to himself for a while, holding his hand so he wouldn't get lost.

The exhaustion catches up with the little ones on the train and the doze until they reach Roskilde. Kevin's curled up against Nico's arm.

*****

"I can't believe you're scared of horses!" Kevin squealed. The guy who loved driving fast and big roller coasters didn't want to ride a horse, it was just too funny.

Nico rolled his eyes, he was fine with horses but he just wasn't sure that he wanted to ride one. So he decided to volunteer to take the photos. Also the last thing he needed at the moment was a broken arm or leg. He was going back to some serious karting competitions later in the year and he'd hate to have that jeopardised by an animal.

As Nico watched Alex and Kevin ride around, he was glad that his Mum made him come here, it was nice that Alex had made a new friend and he'd actually had a nice time here. It would be fun to have Kevin visit them next summer. At least he would have some real competition when they went karting.

*****

Kevin couldn't believe that Nico and Alex had to go home tomorrow. It had been a lovely couple of weeks and he was going to miss them. He had lots of friends here but this had been like having brothers.

They were playing in the woods, Nico was really too old for this but it was nice to be in the fresh air, he was going to start having to work harder at school for his exams and if he really wanted to make the move from karting to single seaters he was going to have put more effort into that too. This was probably the last time that he was going to be allowed to act like a child.

Nico heard a distant yell of 'tag, you're it' and figured that he might as well find the boys so that he can be 'it' for a while. As he was wandering towards where he heard the boys he saw Kevin hiding behind a tree. Kevin put a finger to his lips, the universal sign for quiet, and Nico snuck up next to him.

Nico crouched down so that they were the same height before Kevin whispered something to him, "Can I hug you?" he asked all innocently.

Nico brought Kevin into a big hug, it was like he had acquired another brother, and after a minute he pats Kevin on the back before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. It was just a simple gesture, something he did with Alex, Nico had no idea how much it meant to Kevin. In fact Kevin had no idea how much this meant to him yet, he was just a little too young to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. The warm fuzzy feeling when he was around Nico, how he hangs on Nico's every word, how he felt when Nico held his hand or hugged him. Kevin was in love but he just didn't have the words to express his feelings.

"Tag! You're it!" Alex screamed, while shoving his brother. Kevin ran off and Nico walked slowly to give them both a chance to hide. They played in the woods all afternoon, enjoying what was left of their summer holiday. Dinner was eaten quietly and there was a lot of sad looking faces when they headed to bed.

*****

Given how long it took three months to pass before they arrived, Kevin was disappointed that their two weeks together had flown by so quickly. They were all packed up and walking towards the station, Kevin was holding Nico's hand and his small hand is perfectly surrounded by Nico's. He was going to miss this.

The two younger boys hugged as the train arrived at the station and Nico ruffled Kevin's hair.  Kevin beamed his biggest smile, before they grab their bags and head towards the train.

"We'll keep in touch," Alex said and Kevin's glad that he used _we_ since he had developed quite a crush on Nico, not that Kevin actually realised that yet, he was just aware of this squishy feeling he got when Nico was around, the desire to spend time with him no matter what they were doing. Kevin couldn't wait until next summer, getting to visit them in Germany, it was going to be a great big adventure.


	2. Germany - 2004

"Are you excited honey?" Britt asked Kevin. He had been waiting all year for this, he was going to visit Alex and Nico in Germany and he was even going to take the train there all by himself. In true motherly fashion Britt had made sure that he packed everything he needed for a week away, as well as four sandwiches, two giant bags of gummi sweeties and enough water to drown in. Yes, it was nearly ten hours on the train but he had got to change three times, and there would be enough time to get snacks when he was waiting for the next train.

He had also brought his karting helmet, Alex had promised to take him to the karting track, where they can have a rematch of their last race which Alex won (thanks to Kevin making a 'clumsy' error on the last lap).

But he was most excited about seeing Nico again. All the information he had received about Nico had come second hand through Alex, which was disappointing, but he had been kept fully updated on all Nico's karting victories and how he was doing with his exams. He had seen all the photos of Nico on the podium and he had set one of them as his background picture on his computer. Along with some other racing drivers that Kevin admired, including his Dad. Which he did that way deliberately so his mum wouldn't think he had a massive crush on Nico, although she seemed to have figured it out anyway.

After dinner he sat with his mum watching some dumb film, butterflies dancing in his stomach in anticipation of seeing Nico again. He was restless and fidgety all throughout the film and Britt didn't need to ask why. As he was about to go to bed, his mum gave him a big hug and told him that he was going to have a wonderful time in Germany.

As he slept he dreamt of Nico and even the fact that his alarm was set for six in the morning didn't dampen his excitement.

*****

The journey to Emmerich was uneventful, Kevin used the time to listen to his music and read books as well as consuming the vast quantity of food that his mum had sent with him. He idly stared out the window but it was mostly just countryside, nothing stood out, he could be almost anywhere.

Alex was waiting for him at the train station along with his parents, they were quite stern looking; dad looked like an older version of Alex and Nico, blond hair and blue eyes but no smile. Mum was dark haired and looked as equally unhappy as dad. Kevin was wondering where Alex and Nico got their easy smiles from; they seemed to be just naturally predisposed towards happiness. However there was no sign of Nico with them, maybe he was busy and he would join them later, Kevin thought.

He went to hug Alex but he tensed up so Kevin cuts it short before introducing himself to Alex's parents. There was no _call us by our first names_. No, it was Mr and Mrs Hülkenberg and Kevin had already worked out that they weren't the kind of people that will warm up to him, or anyone.

The car ride to their house was short and he was being ushered straight to the spare room, it was late and he presumed they had already had dinner, Kevin was glad that he had still got a bag of sweeties left from the journey. Alex told him where the bathroom was and said 'goodnight' and that was it. Kevin lay alone the spare room, wondering where Nico was, he wanted to ask but he didn't want Alex to think he wasn't happy to see him.

*****

It was five in the morning and Kevin heard the sound of an alarm blaring. He assumed it must be one of Alex's parents going to work. The usual sounds of people getting washed and eating breakfast rang out through the eerily quiet house, and after a while he heard the front door slam.

There was a creaking sound from outside the bedroom door and Kevin held his breath until he saw Alex peer his head around the door.

"Hey, that’s mum and dad off to work, so we can do whatever we want," Alex said. They were going karting on Saturday but that left them four days to themselves.

"Cool," Kevin said and he liked the sound of no parents, he was going to be twelve soon and he was starting high school in less than a month. "When's Nico joining us?" he added in what he hoped was just a casual way.

"Nico's away all week at a major karting competition," Alex said rolling his eyes. His interest in karting seems to have diminished over the year, but he still seemed happy enough to take Kevin karting this week.

Kevin fought to hide the disappointment but it was okay, he had a whole week hanging out with Alex, no parents watching over them for most of the time. It was going to be a great week, Kevin thought.

They spent the day just hanging out in the park with Alex's friends. It was nice messing around in the playpark, there was a lovely breeze in the air and it was comfortably warm, and Alex's friends all seem nice. As the day dragged on they ended up at someone's house playing racing games on their PS2, which Kevin kept winning, it wasn't just real cars that he was good at racing.

His German was good enough that he could chat away to everyone without it being a struggle but he noticed that Alex didn't look happy, the smile that used to permanently cover his face came out less and less these days and he was a lot less cheery than he was last year. Some of it might be puberty hitting, it wasn't a happy time for anyone, but there was something else, something Kevin couldn't put his finger on.

On the way home for dinner Kevin asked Alex, "What’s up?"

"Just tired," was the response he got. Alex seemed unwilling to say anymore so Kevin left it, he knew people couldn't be happy all the time but it was like Alex wasn't quite the same person he was when they first met.

Dinner with Alex's parents is odd and no-one spoke apart from the occasional request to pass something. Afterwards Kevin was glad that they were allowed to retreat to Alex's room where they read comics and chatted about all the silly things that had happened at school or with their mates. It was nice, and when Mrs Hülkenberg barged in to tell them that it was bedtime Kevin almost groaned out loud.

*****

Mr Hülkenberg had taken the day off so that they could walk across the Rhine Bridge. Kevin was hoping that it would mean he'd get a little bit of a lie in but he had no such luck. It wasn't really what Kevin wanted to do, although he liked a good walk and being outdoors, but Alex's dad didn't seem like he was going to make this fun.

They were marched across the bridge and back again at an alarming speed, although just the smell of damp air and the sea breeze made Kevin think of the beaches at home. It was then straight to the museum where they weren't allowed to talk, and Kevin was so bored but it was fine, he could live with this, as they were finally getting to go karting tomorrow.

As they left the museum it was raining and they trudged home in the rain, Alex and Kevin were whispering about some of the funny things they saw today, but Mr Hülkenberg kept telling them to walk faster.

Once they were home they sat in Alex's room until dinner time. "Your dad's not much fun?" Kevin said cheekily, he was expecting Alex to laugh about it but his reply was quite hurtful.

"At least my dad still lives with us," Alex said, he didn't say it to hurt Kevin, he was just stating the truth but really, that was what hurt the most.

As Kevin fell asleep he thought of what he should have said to Alex, which was; _at least my dad loves me_ , but it was too late now. And anyway, tomorrow would hopefully be a better day.

*****

The karting track was a busy place and being a Saturday during the school holidays it was packed with people of all ages waiting to get racing.

There was lots of kids waiting to go karting and it looked like the race was going to be all nineteen of them competing. Kevin knew that he was good and he couldn't wait to show off his skills to everyone. He had got so good that there wasn't really much competition from all the people he usually went karting with at home, so it would be nice to have a new challenge.

They all got to do a lap, whoever was fastest got pole; second fastest, second place and so on. Kevin ended up quicker than all of them, and Alex didn't look happy about it, he was seventeenth out of nineteen. He can see why Alex wasn't really interested in karting anymore; he wasn't very good at it.

Kevin ran away with it from pole and before he knew it he was storming the finish line, waving his hand in triumph.  He parked the kart and ran across Alex, expecting a friendly hug, but all he got was Alex storming past him, barging him with his shoulder as he went past.

As they got changed out of their race suits Kevin watched Alex huffily putting his stuff away before grabbing his helmet and walking out. Kevin ended up running after him, trying and failing to put his arm in his jacket sleeve as he scurried along.

Once Kevin caught up with him he asked Alex what was wrong and got a long rant about how _everyone likes Nico and he'll never be as good as Nico_. By the end of his speech Alex was shaking with rage and Kevin had no idea what to say to him. Nico was a really good racer and Alex clearly wasn't, although he must be good at something. But Kevin has no idea what that might be, all they ever talked about was cars. He felt really quite useless so he tried to hug Alex but he pulled away from Kevin's touch.

They walked quietly home and today's incident was not mentioned again. At dinner Kevin didn't tell Alex's parents that he won or that Alex came last. Afterwards Kevin went straight to bed, he couldn't wait for this week to be over and to go home to his mum and his friends back in Denmark.

*****

Sunday morning came round quickly and Kevin was surprised to be woken so early, he was told to get dressed in his best clothes so that they could go to church. He felt weirdly out of place during the service, it was a small congregation and they obviously didn't get many visitors.

Kevin understood some of the service but it wasn't like anything he was used to at home, normally it was all love and compassion but this seemed much more hateful and threatening. He wasn't sure if he had fully understood it all but the word _sinners_ kept coming up over and over again.

Relief washed over him once they were out of there and on their way back to the house. Sunday dinner was a big roast with all the trimmings and Kevin figured that it was worth sitting through church if he got to eat food like this. Nico would have had a field day with this much food, he was an eating machine.

After lunch they were allowed to get changed out of their smart clothes and Alex's mum told them to go play outside. They were lazing about in the garden, enjoying the sun and eating ice-cream. It was warm enough out that they could wear shorts and t-shirts, but not so hot that their ice-cream melted before they get a chance to eat it. Alex was chatting away about his girlfriend, Ariane, and how they had kissed.

"So is there a girl you like?" Alex asked cheekily.

"No," Kevin said and Alex snorts, "but there is a boy I like," he added quietly.

Kevin had never seen anyone get so angry so quickly. Alex took a deep breath as though he was going to start screaming but when he spoke his voice came out calm and level, "You can't like boys, it's not right."

"Boys can like boys, my mum says so," Kevin sounded so childish and he suddenly felt like he had been punched. Kevin loved his mum and he believed that everything she said was right, which meant that Alex must be wrong.

Alex yelled for his mum and she darted out of the kitchen to see what was going on. She was expecting to see someone injured but they were just sitting there in the garden not doing anything. "What's wrong Alex?" she asked.

"Tell Kevin that boys can't like boys, _it's not right_ ," Alex sneered, he knew that his mum would back him up.

"That's right, it's not natural," she said and she looked proud of her son.

Kevin hadn't got the words to say anything back so he just sort of nodded, he'd do anything not to be in this situation. He wanted to call home and get his mum to come get him but his train was first thing tomorrow morning, so he told them that he wasn't feeling well and he was going to lay down. When they came to ask about dinner, he pretended to be asleep, anything to avoid having to talk to them.

When morning came round he quietly shuffled out of the house after Alex's parents had gone to work, he didn't even say goodbye to Alex. He never wanted to speak to him ever again.

He spent the entire journey on the brink of tears and when he finally got off the train in Roskilde he ran straight into his mum's arms and cried all the tears that he had been holding back. Britt had never been more worried about her son but she knew that it would be easier to talk at home so she pulled his hoodie over as much of his face as possible and they walked home quickly.

By the time they got home she was dreading what might have happened to her baby. She spoke to him on Saturday night and he sounded his usual cheery self then. The bags were dumped in a pile by the door and once he was cuddled into her on the sofa she got the whole story. How Alex and his mum told him that liking boys was wrong and how he never wanted to see him again.

She was slightly relieved when he told her what happened. She was starting to panic that they'd beat him, or worse, but it still didn't make this right. She wanted to phone them and tell them what awful parents they were, what awful people they were but it wouldn't achieve anything. Kevin would never have to see any of them ever again.

"Oh honey, some people just don't understand," she said softly, Kevin was calmer now and if she was angry it would only upset him more. She ended up having to compare them to the local neo-nazis (there wasn't many where they live, thankfully, but there was enough that she'd had to explain them to Kevin).

Kevin ended up sleeping in her bed, and she told him a story about a knight, coincidentally called Kevin, that slayed a dragon but then was tricked by an evil wizard into eating a poisoned cake and fell into a deep sleep. That was until his prince came along and kissed him, waking him up and freeing him from the wizard's spell. Britt knew that he was far too old for fairy tales but she wasn't sure the grown-up clichés of 'not everyone's like that' and 'you'll find someone' were going to be any comfort to a nearly-twelve year old. All that mattered was that he was finally smiling for the first time since he got home.

*****

"How was your week with Kevin?" Nico asked, he was just back with his trophies from the karting competition.

"He's _gay_ ," Alex spat, and it broke Nico's heart to see that even at a young age Alex was turning out just like their parents. Judgemental. Filled with hate.

Nico wanted to tell him that there was nothing wrong with that, that in fact his own brother was a raging homosexual. Who, less than twenty-four hours ago, was on his knees in a grubby changing room greedily sucking someone's cock. And it was fucking fantastic. Nico smirked at the thought of how shocked his parents would be if they knew. He couldn't wait to get out of here and never look back.


	3. Free - 2005/2006

Nico had finally made it to single seaters; he was going to race in Formula BMW. It was so exciting to drive real cars rather than just big karts but he was also getting away from home. He had a manager that thought he would be ready for Formula one by 2008, which was his dream.

He was living in a tiny place which he had to himself near his team's base. It was a studio flat but that makes it sound a lot more spacious and glamorous than it was. Essentially it was a room just big enough for a single bed, a small table that was for eating and working alike and the most basic of kitchens (a fridge, a tiny oven and a sink). But at least he didn't have to share a bathroom.

It also meant that Nico didn't have to go home between races. If he could manage it he wouldn't have to see his parents again until Christmas. He wished that he didn't have to leave Alex with them but he was already turning out like them, spewing ignorance and hate, and it pained him to see Alex become that guy.

Without having to deal with that all the time Nico knew that this year was going to be great, it didn't matter that he was a rookie, he was going to win this.

*****

First race. First win. He was hugging all the team on the way up; there was more of a crowd than he was used to and their cheers were almost deafening. Nico felt amazing, like he had grown wings and could fly off the podium. The champagne tasted of power and success and it warmed his soul on the way down.

Nico was skipping around the paddock, helping clear everything away, when he came across a young guy slumped against a box of random car parts. He had curly black locks and tanned skin with a handful of freckles, there was something mousy looking about him, although that might just be how lost and alone he appeared to be. He looked like he was barely old enough to be here.

"Are you ok?" Nico asked in German. He crouched down next to the young guy but he looked confused and it dawned on Nico that he might not understand him. He repeated the question in English, it was the only other language Nico had, and waited for a response. The young guy nodded, unsure of what he was going to say.

"I'm Nico," he said. It was always easier to speak to someone once he knew their name, even if that was all he knew about him.

"I know, you raced really well," the young guy said, with a hint of a smile, before adding, "I'm Sergio." They shook hands and Nico smiled his big dorky smile, it was the one that forced other people to smile and Sergio looked like he could do with some cheering up.

Nico flopped down next to him and he asked where Sergio was from (Mexico) and how old he was (fifteen). They chatted away about racing, how they got here, when Sergio asked for advice on racing. Today he came thirteenth, which wasn't bad in his first race, but he wanted to know what Nico's secret was, how he could win as a rookie, be on the podium.

"Tell yourself that you are going to win this. That you can do it," Nico said and he almost cringed at how cheesy it sounded but that was what he did before every race. And it seemed to be working for him.

Sergio laughed but he nodded in a way that suggested he was taking it seriously, that he would try it. But then someone shouted for Nico to come help them lift the cars into the truck.

"Bye and I'll see you on the podium tomorrow!" Nico said with a big grin and a wink. Once he saw that Sergio was smiling he wandered back to help his team pack up all the gear.

Nico won the next race, with Sergio just behind him in second. They both looked so chuffed with themselves up on the podium, wielding their trophies and spraying champagne like pros. They didn't know it yet but it was the start of a friendship that would follow them through their careers.

*****

Nico was champion! In his rookie year! It was just amazing!

He couldn't believe how quickly the year had flown by, he was so happy that he had won but it also meant that the season was over, that he would have to go home to his parents now.

Nico was back at his flat, gasping in pleasure as some guy sucks him off, it was a little bit rough for Nico's liking but it was still good. He picked up this guy after a race, they came up to congratulate him on his win, on winning the championship; eyelashes were fluttered, little glances exchanged and then that knowing look and he was following Nico back to his place. Nico couldn't even remember his name, he didn't really care. He wasn't looking for a boyfriend, didn't have time for that, just simple pleasure. They were gone before Nico woke up which saved him having to give out a fake number.

*****

Stepping off the train in Emmerich was almost painful for Nico, having to go back to hiding who he was. Not that he was _out_ anywhere really, although it wasn't his problem that people just assumed he was straight. But at least when he was living elsewhere there wasn't the constant hate, the slurs, the pressure not to do anything that might reveal that he's gay.

There was no-one there to meet him and he ended up wandering home through the rain, thankfully it wasn't too far but he was soaked by the time he got home. He let himself in and there was no-one about, when it dawned on him that it was Sunday morning, his whole family would be at church. Nico took his time in the shower and ended up watching a movie on his laptop.  When he heard the front door he hesitated before going to say hi, as much as he hated them sometimes and as much as they would hate him if they knew he was gay, they were still his family.

"It's so good to have you home for Christmas!" his mother said, beaming with pride before patting him on the shoulder. She moved her cheek towards him and Nico gave it a quick kiss. His father says hello but that was it. And Alex, he was getting so tall, Nico tried to give him a hug but Alex just pushed him away, saying how _gay_ it was. He just wanted to get on a train and leave but it was only a week, how hard could it be to tolerate this for a week?

Three days later, it was Christmas Eve and he had finally found an excuse to leave the house, he was going to visit a friend from high school, Dominik. His parents were away for Christmas so he was all alone and he had invited Nico over.

"How's the champion?!" Dominik asked mockingly. He was a similar height to Nico, with long greasy brown hair and thin lips, and an awkward manner to him like he wasn't quite comfortable in his own skin. But they had known each other for years, they grew up together, and because of that Dominik was more relaxed around him. He suggested watching a movie, having a beer, and Nico couldn't think of anything better to do so he shrugged in agreement.

They end up sitting together on the sofa, curled under a blanket together to keep warm. Nico caught up on all the gossip about people that they went to high school with, he had been really bad about keeping in touch while he was racing. Dominik told him all about his new friends at university and Nico told him stories of his amazing races and the other racers. Arms and legs kept brushing against each other's but it was just because they were so close together.

The last thing Nico expected was for Dominik to kiss him, practically ramming his tongue down his throat, hands holding each side of his face as though he was trying to squeeze Nico's head. Nico broke the kiss, placing a hand on Dominik's shoulder so that he could look at him.

"I'm sorry, I liked you all through high school and I thought you were interested," Dominik blurted, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"I…" Nico started but he didn't want to have to tell Dominik about his parents, to the outside world they were these good, upstanding, Christian parents with two well behaved children. Not hate filled bigots who made their own son feel unloved.

He couldn't think of a good reason why not, so he dived in to kiss Dominik, pulling their bodies closer, arching against each other as their tongues explored. It was all fumbling and tugging as they tried to undress each other, clothes scraped against skin in a vicious manner.

Nico had his jeans and boxers pulled down to his knees and Dominik was pushing him onto his stomach. He spat into his hand and Nico can hear him slicking up his cock, his tiny skinny cock, which was probably for the best without any preparation. Nico was biting down on his arm as he entered him, trying to relax, to breathe, and when he started to move he couldn't help but grunt with the feeling of it all. He'd never done this before, it had always seemed too intimate for his casual hook ups, and usually when they saw his cock it was all they wanted anyway.

It was only a couple of minutes before Dominik was coming inside him, Nico thought he would get more warning, get him to pull out before he came but… He was pinned under Dominik and although it wasn't completely unsatisfactory he had an overwhelming urge to leave, he didn't usually stick around after sex.

Nico made his excuses about having to go home for Christmas things with his family and almost jogged home. It would be the last time that he ever spoke to Dominik, racing had already started to drag him away from home, away from this life.

He was hoping he could slink into the house without being noticed and get a shower before he had to deal with his family but he got no such luck. The second he was in the door his father told him to come join them and his tone of voice said that he didn't really have any option in this. They were watching some crime drama tv show, Nico didn't really have time for tv but he sat anyway.

Nico almost gasped when there was two guys kissing on tv and he can hear both his parents 'tut' in disgust.

"There are even gays on the tv, they're everywhere now," his father exclaimed. Nico wanted to tell them that there was even a gay sitting next to him, come leaking out of his ass and soaking his boxers but he knew that it wouldn't achieve anything, it wouldn't change his mind. So he bit his tongue and hoped that time would pass quickly.

He went to get washed before dinner, desperately trying to hide all evidence of his earlier activities and he ended up stuffing the filthy underwear into his suitcase, he would deal with them once he got away from here. In the shower he got himself off, he had been frustrated all afternoon. His hands end up wandering round to his stretched hole and he gently fingered himself, a reminder of how it felt to be fucked and he was curious as to just how good it would feel with someone who took their time, made sure he was satisfied. Nico gasped through his orgasm, trying not to make a noise and he had the biggest smile on his face.

*****

It's a new year and Nico was racing in a new series, German Formula 3. He was still on a high from winning Formula BMW in his rookie year and he was hoping he could do the same here. Nico was just glad to be away from home again, back to his own place. Also even though he had changed series, he was still with the same team and it was nice to have the continuity.

He had a good year of races with Formula 3, comes fifth but there was no rest for him this year, he was straight into competing in A1GP, it would mean that he was too busy to go home for Christmas as well.

When Nico was hanging about the paddock waiting for the first race he saw Sergio that he raced with last year.

"Hi, how's it going?" Nico asked, he was glad to see a familiar face.

Sergio looked equally happy to see Nico and they end up chatting away, mostly about racing. "I'm not able to go home for Christmas," Sergio said sadly, he didn't have to tell Nico how expensive racing was, how hard it was to afford the travelling.

"I'm not going home either," Nico shared. Although he was happy that he didn't have to spend time with his parents. He would just phone them and even that would be torturous to him. "How about you spend Christmas with me?" he asked, not sure if they were quite good enough friends for it but he would hate for him to be lonely during the holidays.

Sergio's face lit up and Nico knew that he had done the right thing. "I'd like that," Sergio said and he looked so grateful.

They had a lovely time together at Christmas, good food and playing computer games, it was nice to relax. The rest of the season flew by and before they knew it Team Germany has won and they had to go their separate ways but they did manage to keep in touch.


	4. Time - 2007/2008

Kevin had been racing in Formula Ford, it was a local thing but it was going to lead to him being a Formula one driver, he could feel it. It was his first step into the big leagues.

He was winning lots of races, beating all the competition and in the end Kevin had won the championship. It was only a matter of time before he had a drive for next year.

*****

"I'm sorry honey. We just don't have the money for you keep racing," Britt spoke calmly and she wished there was something more they could do but it was so expensive. She had spoken to his dad but he had got his own racing career and that didn't leave much money free. Not enough to help his son out anyway.

Kevin was just slumped on the sofa, he hadn't spoken yet. With finishing school this year he had to make some decisions. But he hadn't considered what he would do if he wasn't racing, not seriously. His friend's dad had said that he could get him a job at the factory he worked at and it looked like that might be his best option for now. It was good money; he could save for a couple of years and then go back to racing. He was still young, there was still time for him to work his way up to Formula one.

"Thank you. For trying," Kevin said and he suddenly sounded much older than his age. It broke her heart to see him like this and in that instant he went from being a boy to a man in her eyes.

"We'll find a way honey," she said after drawing him into a big hug.

Kevin went off to study for his exams, in only a few weeks all this would be over, he'd have left high school. As the computer loaded up he saw his background picture, all the racers that he admired and it made him sad. He wasn't going to get to be one of them, racing single seaters, driving in Formula one. It might not be all over yet but it was definitely going to be an uphill battle. Kevin changed the picture to one of the default pictures, it was green and blue, maybe trees and the sky, but he didn't really care. He just couldn't bear to look at the pictures of racing drivers anymore.

*****

"Thanks for getting me this job Mr Hansen," Kevin said cheerily. He was really grateful that his friend's dad could get him some work at the local metal factory. Kevin was good at all the technical things at school, he'd been repairing karts for as long as he could remember, so he would have no problem getting to grips with the work here.

"It's Anders now," he teased.

"Yes, Mr… Anders," Kevin said. It was odd to call friends' parents by their first names, made him feel like he was no longer a child, a real grown up.

Kevin quickly settled into his new routine, new colleagues and after a few months it felt like this was meant to be his life. He still went karting every now and again but it was just for a laugh with the guys from work. Even though he hadn't completely given up on racing in the future, he was content with his life as it was right now.

He was so cut off from racing right now that he didn't even notice that Nico had just won the Euro F3 title.

*****

Kevin had got the weekend off, nothing particular to do so he said he'd help his mum clear out the attic. He wasn't sure why he agreed, it was mostly his dad's stuff that he didn't bother taking with him when he left, the unimportant things. Although he got on well with his dad he was more like a friend than a parent, he didn't confide in him the way he did with his mum.

Britt was laughing about how tiny all of Kevin's baby clothes were, they were all boxed up, for the younger brother or sister that never was. There was also lots of kids' toys and books which Kevin suggested should go to someone who needed them.

"Maybe you'll want kids one day!" she teased.

He wasn't really sure how to bring up the fact that he was gay but he had been waiting to tell his mum this for a long while. And this seemed to be the best opportunity that he would get.

Kevin's silence while he tried to put his words together allowed Britt to carry on talking, "… You might meet a lovely guy, adopt some adorable children and then you'll be thankful that I saved all this stuff for you!"

"How did you know?" he asked. His mum looked confused.

"Know what?"

"That I liked guys," Kevin said, he wanted to know. He thought that he'd hidden everything quite well, but obviously not.

"When you were younger you asked if boys could like boys, and when I said yes you looked just so happy with the idea," she soothed, "also, I've noticed all those photos you have of a certain racer!"

Kevin had forgotten all about that summer when Alex and Nico had visited, its memory tainted by the realisation that Alex and his family were horrible people. When he'd got back from Germany he'd binned all the photos of Alex from that summer, but he couldn't find it in his heart to destroy the photos of Nico. Even though he suspected that Nico must be like them, he just couldn't imagine him being that kind of guy. Although, Kevin hadn't really been following Nico's career like he used to; he was always desperate to see the results, the photos of him on the podium. He felt like he might be able to put Nico in the past, like everything else to do with racing.

He laughed politely; he was only just sixteen, he would worry about kids and all that later. He went back to rummaging through boxes and he found some boxes of things that were his dad's. Pictures from his days in Formula one, team shirts and travel guides for random places around the world – all hopelessly out of date now.

There was a picture of him and his dad, back when he was racing for McLaren, posed next to the car with Ron Dennis. His mum told him that she took the photo; it was one of the times they got to see his dad race. She told him how excited he was to be at a real Formula one race and that Ron even gave him a birthday present.

"What was it?" Kevin asked, he couldn't really remember much specifically from back then, he'd have only been five in the photo.

"Aha, here it is!" Britt said after rooting through the box. It was a birthday card with a racing car on it, McLaren colours and everything, which was sweet, Kevin thought. His mum handed it to him and he opened it carefully.

Dear Kevin,  
Happy Birthday!  
If you ever get to be as good a racer as your dad, give me a call!  
Ron

Kevin looked forlorn. Sadly it was a little bit late for him to find this out. It was still a lovely gesture but it wasn't really any use to him now. He lay the card down in the pile of things to be thrown out before going to make coffee; he didn't want his mum to see how upset he was about this. So much for telling himself that he didn't miss racing but there was still hope, he was making good money as a welder, might be able to race again in the future.

He had taken his mum her coffee and now he was slumped at his computer, looking at photos of his time karting and Nico's podiums. That summer he came to visit they talked about their dreams of racing in Formula one and Nico had said, "I'll see you there, kid!"

Kevin ended up deleting all the photos, his mum had copies of his karting ones and Nico was probably best left in the past.

*****

Kevin was walking home from work, it was already dark and he smelled of lightning and metal, which summed up welding nicely. He couldn't wait to get in and get a shower, warm himself up a bit.

"Hi mum," he said as he opened the front door, she should have been in from the stables now.

"Hi honey, I'm in the living room," she replied, and Kevin wandered in to see her. What he didn't expect was to see Ron Dennis sitting on the sofa drinking a cup of coffee.

"Uh, hi," Kevin said, caught off guard by the turn of events. He looks at his mum for an explanation but she just smiled.

"Your mum called me, she told me what a good racer you are," Ron said. Kevin was standing awkwardly at the door when his mum patted the seat next to her. He sat down but he wasn't sure what to say.

"I have some connections, could get you a seat in Formula Renault 2.0," Ron added, waiting for a response from Kevin.

"Cool," was all Kevin could come up with and he still wasn't sure what an appropriate response would be.

Ron took him through all the details, it would mean moving to Germany and Kevin was thankful that his experience a few years ago didn't stop him learning German all through high school. His mum made various comments about how young he was to be away from home but he knew that she wouldn't have called Ron if she didn't support his racing career.

"We'll see you in Formula one very soon!" Ron said before leaving. He had left all the paperwork for him and his mum to look over and told them to get back to him with a decision. Although from the way Kevin was grinning right now, the big grin that scrunched his eyes almost closed, his answer seemed obvious.

Once they were alone Kevin wanted to tell his Mum how amazing she was, how happy he was to be racing again, how much he appreciated every single little thing that she had ever done for him, every bedtime story, every hug, every kind word and loving gesture. But he was so overwhelmed that all he could manage was, "Thank you."


	5. Testing - 2009

"It'll be a whole new pool of guys for you to work your way through!" Sergio teased. He had known about Nico's exploits for a while, and although he was understanding, it didn't stop him getting in a few jokes about how Nico gets about a bit.

"I'm done with all that," Nico said and he meant it, he felt he could win the GP2 series as a rookie, very few have managed it but he was already overdue for Formula one. He was going to be test driver for the Williams team this year but next year he wanted to be driving a Formula one car, in actual race weekends. However that meant no more casual hook ups, no more sex in toilets and no more blow jobs in dark alleys behind bars. That whole life wasn't what he wanted anymore, not only was it unsatisfying but it was starting to put him in a really bad place with his self-esteem, feeling like he didn't deserve to be loved. What he wanted is to have someone want him for more than his cock.

"Really!" Sergio feigned shock, clasping his hands over his mouth in a dramatic fashion before laughing. "Good for you, you deserve better!" he added, and Nico felt much happier for actually hearing this from a voice that wasn't in his own head. Not that telling himself he deserves more was a bad thing, but it was nice that someone else believed it too.

*****

Kevin was so excited to be in Formula Renault 2.0, he had done a few races before Christmas but this would be his first full season. He'd had to move away from home and he was a little bit sad not to have his mum around but he made sure that he phoned her every evening. Luckily he met another racer in few races he had done earlier, Antonio, and he was going to be racing against him this year. It was nice to already know someone and he was getting on really well with his team, they were like a second family.

Now he was back racing, his passion for motorsports was back with a vengeance, which means that he was back to following Nico's career like an obsessed teenage fan (which he was). He had watched as Nico had got rid of his glasses and seen how tall he had got and how lean he'd become. Nico was definitely looking good in that racesuit and he was already showing them how it was done in GP2 even though he was a rookie this year. Kevin was pretty sure that he was going to win it, even though there had only been a couple of race weekends for them so far this year. And he hadn’t yet won a race but it was only a matter of time.

Kevin had also got an alarming collection of photos of his favourite racer (that he wasn't related to) and lots of articles about Nico's career so far. Unfortunately his race schedule didn't match Nico's at all, it would have been wonderful if it did, so for now Kevin had got to make do with just watching his races on the tv. He was also really enjoying all the videos of Nico as a Formula one test driver, Nico said that he was going to end up in Formula one six years ago and now he was there, doing it and Kevin wouldn't be surprised if Nico had got a full race seat next year.

*****

"Are you going home for the summer?" Nico asked Sergio, he knew how much he missed his family, missed his home.

"No, too much travelling," he replied. Sergio looked down about it and Nico dragged him into a hug. He had come to think of him like a little brother, which was painful given that his own little brother wasn't someone that he thought of fondly, but Sergio was how he'd like Alex to be.

"If you want to stay with me for a couple of weeks?" Nico asked hesitantly, "I could show you the sights!" he added, although there were not really many interesting things near where he lived. But it would be nice to have the company, Nico thought, he had drifted away from everyone at home apart from his family, who he'd like to lose contact with. He was close to a lot of people in his team, other racers like Sergio but he'd left Emmerich and tried to never look back.

"I'd like that." Sergio beamed, across his freckled cheeks was almost a blush but Nico didn't read anything into, when he first met Sergio he blushed all the time, it was nice to see that he was getting more confident, more at ease with people.

The summer was spent mostly chilling out and watching movies, along with Nico eating his own weight in junk food while saying, "Don't tell my trainer!" and winking every time. He was fine with Sergio knowing how much he loves his food. It'd become more and more of a comfort lately as he'd given up on certain other pleasures while he focuses on the championship. Not that that was a bad thing, it hadn't been a good path that he was on.

Nico took Sergio to the karting track nearby, joking that they'd see who the better driver was in equal equipment. It'd be nice just to race for fun.

"Best two out of three!" Nico said cheekily after Sergio won the first race and Nico couldn't quite let it end like that. The fun element of this is being trumped by Nico's super competitive side, which was what made him such a determined driver, he was desperate to be the best. He was trying not to let this side of him, the _Hulk_ side, take over and ruin the nice relaxing day they were having.

Second race saw Nico take it by a mile as another karter took Sergio off on the last lap, otherwise it would have been a battle to the line. He was laughing manically as they head to get a drink before the third race, the decider.

Nico was enjoying the cold fizzy drink, the sugar rush adding to the overload of adrenaline still surging through his body. He was watching Sergio sip at his drink but he didn't seem to be enjoying this as much as Nico thought he would. "What's wrong Checo?" he asked. He'd never got an answer as to how Checo got his nickname.

"You're so good at this," Sergio said, to which Nico made a snorting sound as if to say - nonsense.

Nico rested his hand on Sergio's shoulder, he really does feel like a big brother more than a friend sometimes, not that it was necessarily a bad thing. Everyone should have someone to look out for them, no matter what. "You're good at this too!" Nico soothed, "You won the British Formula Three a couple of years ago!"

"It wasn't the main championship," Sergio said, and there was more funny snorting noises from Nico.

"It doesn't matter if there are only two of you! Winning is winning!" Nico said with his biggest grin.

Sergio smiled back before downing his drink and saying, "Ready for round three?" with the cheekiest of grins.

They were positioned fourth and fifth on the grid but after just two laps they were first and second, Nico leading Sergio by a wheel, neither managing to take the lead from the other. The last lap it was now or never and at the last corner Nico slides his car wide on the corner, allowing Sergio to slip past and win the race. It was a clumsy move and given how he'd driven the rest of the race, completely unexpected.

Nico was smiling inside his helmet as Sergio was cheering and running in for a high five. There was hugs all round and they decide to go for a celebratory beer, to a bar near Nico's flat. As they walk Nico remembered a certain other racer that may have let a friend win to boost their self-esteem a little bit, and for the first time in many years, he wondered where Kevin was now, what he grew up to be.

*****

"I'm going to visit your aunt today, but I'll be back by dinner," Britt said, as she gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. Kevin was just glad to be home, hanging out with old school friends and telling anyone who'd listen about his adventures in racing.

He was a little bit relieved that his mum was going out for the day, not that he doesn't love spending time with her but he wanted to raid the attic to see if there were any photos of Nico left. When he wasn't racing he'd got so angry with everything that he'd binned all the photos from that summer. He'd tried to leave it all in the past but it just wouldn't stay there. It might just be a crush, but it was six years' worth.

After a day spent 'tidying', while desperately looking for just one photo of Nico from that summer so long ago, he finally admitted defeat and went to finish the laundry for his mum. Since he couldn't really cook it seemed like a fair division of labour. He'd put away the sheets and towels in the airing cupboard and left his mum's clothes on her bed, it didn't seem right to put them away for her, he wasn't sure if he wanted to see what was in her underwear drawer. When he went to put his own clothes away, he saw a small envelope sitting on the bed, bulging with whatever was inside. There was no stamp or address so it wasn't mail that had arrived today.

He rushed over to it, unable to contain his curiosity. Kevin was overwhelmed with feelings, just the sight of that tall, awkward, bespectacled blond guy, with his dorky smile, made Kevin's soul feel warm. It was all his photos of Nico from that summer. He was taking it all in when his mum called him down for dinner. Kevin skipped downstairs with the biggest grin on his face.

Not a word was said about where the photos came from; his mum must have rescued them from the bin all those years ago, hung onto them just in case. She didn't say anything but her smile said everything, he was so lucky to have her as his mum.

*****

"That's it, you're going to drive for Williams next year," his manager said, as he signed the hefty legal document. Nico's grin was so big that all his teeth were on display and it looked like the skin might split. He was so happy that he was going to drive his own Formula one car, get to drive the same tracks as the legends, actually race against his hero. Nico was tingling with excitement, the winter break was going to be intolerable as he waited for testing, the chance to take his baby out on the track.

He'd got two race weekends left for the GP2 championship, but Nico felt that he could wrap it up this weekend, here at Monza, such an iconic track. It would be awesome if he could win here, so as much as he was excited for his Formula one drive, he put that to the back of his mind and got to work preparing for his own race, determined to show Williams that they definitely made the right choice signing him.

It was done, he was shaking as he got out of the car and there was tears of joy streaming down his face under his helmet as he hugged all of the team before skipping on up to the podium. He'd won the drivers' championship! It didn't matter that he was on the third step of the podium today. He was the champion!

The rest was a blur, photos and hugs and champagne, and then more photos and hugs and champagne. He was ecstatic with the fact that he'd won, and he did it as a rookie, he'd proved that he had the talent, that he was worthy of Formula one. Now to show the whole world what he could do.

Instead of basking in his success he was thinking about his next target: Formula one world champion.

He was happy about winning, thrilled even, dancing the night away with his team and fellow drivers. However the praises and congratulations were repeated so often that they sound hollow. As everyone drifted away throughout the night, Nico ended up sitting alone, with his trophy, and hoping that _when_ he won the Formula one championship he had someone special to celebrate it with.

*****

Kevin and Antonio were sharing a flat near the factory, even though they were not in the same series next year they were still racing for the same team. And it was nice not to be living alone like he was at the start of the series. When Antonio's flat became unliveable, it really was a damp and awful place, Kevin had said he could stay for a little while until he found somewhere else. But that was a few months ago and he didn't mind having him around, paying for half of everything.

He was tidying everything away, preparing for the Christmas holidays, making sure the place was left tidy before he went home. When he remembered his pictures of Nico that were hidden under the mattress of his bed, he wouldn't want to leave them behind. Kevin had to hide them as it was only a small flat and Antonio and he shared a bedroom (but not a bed, there were just two single beds crammed into the room, it didn't leave space for much else or any privacy). He was lying on his front, staring at the pictures with dreamy eyes and he was starting to wriggle against the bed. Kevin had no idea what this looked like as Antonio wandered in.

Antonio rushed over, grabbing the pictures out of his hand. "Looking at pictures of your boyfriend?" he squealed, before play-fighting with him. Kevin was thankful that the shock of being shrieked at by Antonio had completely destroyed any evidence of his previous arousal. He fought back a little bit before snatching the photos off him when he got an opportunity. They were hastily stuffed into his hoodie pocket, he had more photos at home but these three were his favourites. The ones where Nico looked perfect; happy, bright eyed with that big grin that Kevin just wanted to kiss over and over again.


	6. Dreams - 2010

Nico still couldn't quite believe it, he was a Formula one driver. There were so many people that wanted this but he was one of the chosen few that got to drive these amazing cars.

It made up for all the years feeling unloved, unwanted by his parents; the years of pretending that everything was fine when it wasn't. Now everything was perfect. He was going to show them all that he was worthy of this.

*****

Nico had qualified fifth for the Malaysian grand prix. Kevin was so happy for him, the last couple of races hadn't been great for Nico and this was the first time he'd qualified in the top ten.

Kevin was sitting on the sofa, comfy in his pyjamas and wrapped up in a blanket. It was still dark outside and he had the volume turned down low so he wouldn't wake his flatmate. He thought about just recording it so he didn't have to wake up so early but he wanted to see Nico race, every glimpse of him sent his heart into overdrive.

As the race went on it looked like Nico was going to make it across the finish line in the points, his first points in Formula one. Each lap felt slower than the last, time crawling by, torturing Kevin as he began to worry that some misfortune would befall Nico before the end of the race.

He watched the tv graphic like a hawk, hoping, praying that Nico's name would come up in the points. And then he saw it: P10 – N. Hülkenberg.

Kevin screamed out loud, a mixture of relief and excitement. His screaming woke up Antonio, who didn't look impressed that Kevin was up at this time and was causing a racket.

"Watching your boyfriend?" Antonio smirked, Kevin made a non-committal noise; he'd learned to just tune out all of his 'jokes'. He didn't really care about it. Antonio had no idea that he actually had feelings for Nico, he talked this way to everyone. His fellow Red Bull juniors took the worst of it and Antonio was going to live with them next year while he was doing British F3, which Kevin was thankful for. Although they'd still be racing together in the same series, he wouldn't have to come home to him each night.

Antonio sat next to him and watched the post-race analysis without too many dumb comments. Once the programme was finished Kevin went to get some more sleep and Antonio followed.

He was lying on his front, snug under the duvet when he felt the bed dip and he looked round to see Antonio straddling him, grinding his hips against Kevin's ass. "Is this what you want?" Antonio mocked, "Are you imagining that I'm Nico?" he continued. Kevin was now sick of Antonio and his messed up sense of humour. He'd tolerated it for so long but this was the final straw.

"Either fuck me or fuck off," Kevin said, he sounded almost disinterested in the entire situation. He was hoping that this would annoy Antonio enough to give him some peace to sleep. Although for a horrible moment he thought that Antonio might pick the first option when he felt him grab his ass but then he was gone and the sound of a door being slammed echoeed around the flat.

 _That's what I thought. All talk and no action_ , Kevin thought before trying to relax so he could sleep.

Kevin fished out the picture of Nico from inside the pillowcase and wished he was there with Nico, able to congratulate him on his result.

*****

He was in the McLaren garage with his dad, his brief stint with them long ago was now good only for getting VIP passes to races. There was no ill feeling there though, his Dad was the first to admit that he wasn't in the best shape, didn't work as hard as he could. The real surprise was that he made it into Formula one in the first place.

Kevin was restless, he'd not seen his dad in ages but his skin was buzzing with excitement at the knowledge that Nico was here. He'd tried slowly walking past the Williams garage many times but there was no sign of the man that made his heart race and his soul warm.

He thought about going in, asking to see Nico, telling them that he was an old friend. But he had no idea how Nico would react to seeing him, if he'd even remember him. Kevin thought that he saw the top of his head, all that fluffy blond hair poking out above the crowd and he was torn as to whether he should go in.

"There you are!" his dad's voice roused him out of his trance. He was just staring at the Williams motorhome, frozen with indecision.

"Yeah, I was just coming back up to the garage," Kevin blurted before following him.

On the Sunday, Kevin was screaming as the cars came across the line, most would assume that he was cheering for Lewis and Jenson, who came in second and fourth, a good result for them. But Kevin knew that he was rooting for Nico, who crossed the line tenth, a single point earned. Kevin was so proud of him, he was working hard in a car that just didn't match his talents.

*****

The Brazilian grand prix came around and Nico couldn't believe that the season was almost over. However, this weekend was one that he'd remember for a long time. He was on pole! Pole! This was his chance to show them that he was worth keeping for another year. They were still dithering over who to sign for next year and he wanted them to see that he was improving, that he was on his way up rather than a driver whose best years were behind him. Rubens was a great guy to work with and he'd learnt a lot from him but he was on his way down, no longer bringing in the results like he used to. But being Brazilian he had a lot of big sponsors and Nico knows that money was just as important as talent.

That evening he was sitting in his hotel room, watching the replay of qualifying. He bought himself a treat on the way back to the hotel, a Big Mac meal, which he'd demolished before the first qualifying session was even over. Nico was so proud of himself. Lots of his fellow drivers have congratulated him on his result and Sergio had called which made him happy. Sergio was going to be racing in Formula one next year and it'd be fun to see how they compare, if he had a seat. Nico pushed those thoughts out of his mind and tried to focus on the race tomorrow.

Nico ended up wishing that he had something more than food as a reward for his pole position. It would have been amazing if he'd come back to find his boyfriend waiting for him, already naked, slick hole where they'd fingered themselves open for him, ready to be fucked by their champion. Better still if they'd told him they were proud of him, that they knew he could do it.

He was stroking himself, imagining spectacular sex with a steady boyfriend, someone who had taken the time to get to know him, knew what he liked. Someone that he knew so well that he could tease them for hours before giving them the most incredible of orgasms. Leaving them both breathless and satisfied, happy in each other's arms. Nico came with a jolt, gasping a name that doesn't exist yet. _My Love_.

Nico had no idea that another man was picturing the exact same thing, all the sexy things that he could do to reward Nico as he got himself off, fingers shoved up his ass imagining that it was Nico's cock fucking him. Kevin was gasping through his orgasm, muscles clenching around his fingers, come spurting everywhere. He was staring at a picture of Nico that was lying on his bed which he kissed before falling asleep with a smile on his face.

Sunday came round and the race went by in a blur, he'd tried so hard. His hands were gripping the steering wheel tight as if he could transfer his own power into the car. Before the first lap was even finished he'd lost the lead and then he was being passed over and over again. Nico felt like his dream was gone before it was even started. Each car that flew past took a little bit of his hope with it, this was his chance to show that he deserved a seat and he'd failed.

*****

"Congratulations!" Nico said, but it took all his effort not to make it sound bitter. Sergio had a drive in Formula one next year with Sauber. He was proud of him, which sounds strange but he'd known him for nearly five years now, and Nico thought of him like a little brother.

There was a big hug and they ended up sitting drinking coffee, huddled in Nico's cold flat before Sergio was off home for the winter. Chatting about nothing in particular; Sergio was trying to avoid talking about his new drive, which hurt Nico as he knew that if it wasn't for the fact that Williams had dropped him, Sergio would be telling him everything.

"I hate that they left it until now to tell me," Nico said, he was sick of them tip-toeing around the subject. At least Sergio understood this situation, how ruthless the racing world was.

"At least you got a reserve drive." Sergio tried to put a positive spin on all this.

"I know, but what if this is it. Game over." Nico shook his head in frustration.

"We'll race together, I can feel it," Sergio said. He'd put a hand on his knee and he was trying to reassure Nico but Nico was in one of those moods where nothing seemed to cheer him up. Nico felt like he wanted to cry and scream but it wouldn't change anything. He'd just got to keep working, keep pushing, at least he was still working for a Formula one team, albeit as a reserve driver but that was how most people get their drives, from the inside.

"And I'll beat you!" Nico smirked, a hint of a smile creeping onto his face.

"In your dreams!"

They ended up at a nearby karting track, and this time Nico made sure that he won.

*****

Kevin read the news; Nico was going to be reserve driver at Force India, which was so frustrating. He couldn't imagine how awful it felt to have the thing that he wanted most taken away from him. To have gotten so close but there was an invisible force keeping him away from it. Kevin wanted to be there to hold him, tell him it would all be okay.

He hoped that Nico would drive again in Formula one, the thought of racing against each other had kept Kevin going throughout his career.


	7. Paul - 2011

Nico was sitting in a little room at the back of the factory, he didn't think anyone would find him but here they are, sitting next to him, trying to cheer him up with random stories of strange things that the Scottish would deep fry. Like a mars bar or skittles, _skittles_. He was trying not to laugh but they were telling all these tales in the most animated of voices, forcing him to laugh too. His new teammate Paul was a fun guy, not that the media would ever know that, but he was definitely more fun than Adrian, Force India's other driver.

This wasn't what he wanted for this year, sitting on the sidelines, watching as other people drove the cars that he wanted to drive. But at least he was still in Formula one; he knows that once you leave it was very difficult to come back, even for former world champions. So this was him keeping his foot in the door and at least he'd have Paul's silly stories of the wild haggis creature to keep him entertained.

*****

There was the sound of someone trying to cry quietly, it was almost completely drowned out by the noise of the air-conditioning but Nico could hear it. It was coming from Paul's room and he knew that he shouldn't bother him but he couldn't leave him alone if he was upset. He tapped on the door, and when there was no answer he slunk into the room, making sure that the doors were locked securely behind him. Nico knew he wouldn't want anyone else apart from Paul to see him when he was upset.

He sat down next to Paul and drew him into a big hug, no words had been exchanged, yet somehow he could sense that Paul didn't want to talk. It couldn't just be about the retirement today, that was something they all learn to cope with very quickly. Once Paul was all cried out he got the full story, how his girlfriend dumped him, didn't want him any more since he was never home. But that came with the job, she knew what she was getting herself into when she started dating him, so why change now, did she think that he'd give all this up for her?

Nico was looking at Paul, trying to cheer him up with his dorkiest grin, hoping to get a bit of a smile from him. Paul bit his lip, absently playing with Nico's hands, their fingers tangled together. Nico assumed he was just fidgety and needing a bit of comfort but then he was leaning in, pressing their lips together. Neither moved for the longest time, scared to breathe in case they broke the moment but then Nico couldn't bear it any longer. He rested his hand on the back of Paul's head before deepening the kiss, moaning at each gasp and sigh from Paul. There was a hand wandering up his thigh, freezing when it discovered the size of the bulge in his jeans. Nico was about to make a joke of it when Paul stood up suddenly.

"I'm sorry," he blurted and with that he was gone, the door slowly closing behind him.

Nico wanted to run after him but if he went back into the motorhome sporting a massive erection everyone was going to know what they were up to in here. So he had to endure the torture of waiting for it to go down before he tried to find Paul.

He headed back to the hotel and straight for Paul's room, trying to look like he was just casually checking on him but he was panicking inside. When there was no reply he was sure that he'd made a mess of this, taken advantage of Paul when he was vulnerable, and it'd cost him a good friend in the process.

Nico ended up in his own room, he wished Sergio was about so that he'd have someone to talk to but he was already on a flight back to Switzerland. He could leave him a message but the odds were that by the time he received it Nico would be feeling better. Nico was off to get moral support from the one thing that never failed him – food.

*****

Nico hadn't seen Paul in a couple of weeks, they'd not been at the factory at the same time due to media commitments and Nico felt weird about showing up at his place, even though Paul did say he could drop by any time. But he wasn't sure that was true any more.

He'd just arrived at the track in Spain, ready for another weekend of doing nothing, made to feel even longer by the fact that Paul wasn't talking to him and Sergio was busy with his new team. Nico had tried to find some time to chat to Paul but he'd been occupied by the media. After a day spent lurking, trying not to be in anyone's way, he slunk back to the hotel, braced for an evening alone.

Nico was curled up with some chocolate biscuits, watching a Spanish movie that he didn't really understand but it was an action film so he could follow enough of it. He fidgeted repeatedly until he'd made himself a nest out of the blankets, cocooned like a little baby animal. And then there was a knock at the door. He groaned out loud, loathed to move when he was so comfy but he was curious as to who it was. Sergio had mentioned that he was busy all evening, but maybe he finished early?

The last person he expected to see at the door was Paul, looking restless and trying not to make eye contact.

"Hi, can I…" Paul mumbled, most of it lost with his accent.

"Sure," Nico said, trying not to sound too eager as he motioned for Paul to come in.

The room was small, tidy and impersonal, there was nowhere to sit apart from the bed. Nico was about to apologise for the room but that wasn't what he really wanted to know. He wanted to know if they were still friends. If they were okay.

They were both just standing, staring at each other. Nico couldn't find the words and resorted to small talk, "How ar-"

"I'm sorry," Paul cut in before blushing.

Nico thought about asking if they were still friends, but he wouldn't be here if they weren't friends, so that was one less thing to worry about. He moved closer to Paul, bringing him into a hug. When he felt Paul relax he pulled back slightly but Paul's hand has found his and he said something so quietly that Nico had to ask him to repeat it.

"I've never been attracted to a bloke before," Paul said in a whisper. He was still blushing but there was a look in his eyes that was daring him to make a move, wants Nico to say something, do something that showed he felt the same way.

Nico moved in for a kiss, lips resting on lips, trying not to rush Paul into anything. His hands were wandering down to the small of his back, stroking small circles, more nervous response than an attempt to feel Paul up.

Paul's hands were wandering inside his t-shirt, gaining confidence fast and there was a groan, breathless and needy. Nico was shoved against the wall as Paul kissed the side of his neck, grinding his body against him. The way he moved against him was delightful and he was moaning in ecstasy, the sound of Paul lost in abandon brings him to orgasm much quicker than he'd like but it had been far too long since he'd had this. Nico forced a hand down Paul's jeans, watching the look of surprise on his face as Nico showed off his skills and had Paul begging for more, unable to stand as he came.

Nico licked his hand and Paul stared in disbelief, the shock of what he'd just done evident.

"Are you okay?" Nico asked, although it was a bit late to be asking it.

"Yeah, that was amazing," Paul said, still in a bit of a trance.

"Good," Nico said while he kissed his cheek. All tender and soft, a stark change from the frantic grinding.

"We should do this again sometime," Paul said, with no sarcasm at all, and with that he was off to his own room. Leaving Nico to wonder if he'd imagined what had just happened.

*****

Nico wasn't sure when this had become a thing but it'd been five months now, and it was more than just sex, some nights they watched a film, chatted about their day. Talked about the serious issues like what superpower they would have or which _Star Trek_ movie was the best. They'd not put labels on the relationship yet but Nico had started thinking of Paul as his boyfriend. Even though he knew that they were nothing more than friends with benefits.

He was grateful for the air conditioning in his hotel room, the Singapore heat was stifling and he couldn't wait for Paul's cold hands running over his body. Nico was lying in just his boxers on the bed waiting for Paul to return after his media duties. He was absently rubbing himself through thin material when he heard the door click. Just the sight of Paul got him fully hard and he was beckoning him to the bed with the crook of his finger.

"Congratulations," Nico said, while Paul lay next to him. His clothing was already in a pile on the floor, leaving on only his underwear so as to tease Nico a little bit longer.

"It was only sixth," Paul said, his usual self-depreciating tone creeping into his voice.

"It's your best result so far," Nico said playfully, his hands already wandering down to play with the elastic of Paul's boxers. "Maybe I'll have to find a way to reward you," he added, and with that Nico was kissing his way down Paul's body until he was mouthing at the bulge, mesmerised by each twitch of Paul's body as he teased him.

He was using every trick to give Paul the best blow job he'd ever had. Timing it so that it wasn't too quick, not too slow, making sure each stroke was just forceful enough to have him gasping. As he came down from his orgasm, Nico watched him in fascination as his breathing slowed. Paul was drifting to sleep next to him, trapping Nico's arm.

Nico didn't mind having to finish himself off, trying to come quietly so that he didn't wake Paul, but it would be nice if there was a little more affection from Paul. He knew that he had quite a sizeable penis, and he didn't expect Paul to take it all but after a few sucks of the end Paul was usually finishing him by hand. But he was so grateful to have any attention, that he didn't say anything.

*****

It was the last race of the season, and Nico was still praying that one of the seats next year would be his. Preferably Adrian's since they didn't get on anywhere near as well as him and Paul. And that was nothing to do with the fact that he and Paul were, for lack of a better term, friends with benefits. Although Paul got a lot more benefits than he did.

He knew that Paul was still in contact with his ex, Laura, and she wanted to take him back. Which meant that there was an expiry date looming on their relationship, so he'd decided that he might as well get some benefits out of the relationship before it was over.

That was why he was lying naked on his bed, fingers slick with lube as he opened himself up, condoms at the ready on the bedside table. He was doing it carefully, this was probably his last chance so he wanted it to be perfect.

The gasp when Paul saw him, fingers thrusting in, preparing for his cock, made everything worth it. No words were exchanged; Paul was stripping off his clothes and marching across to the bed. The kiss was frantic, Nico bit Paul's lip and dragged his cock towards his hole, an unspoken hurry up.

Paul grabbed a condom and Nico was filled with anticipation, it'd been so long since he'd been this intimate with someone. He was waiting for Paul to slide on in but he was being manhandled onto his hands and knees. Nico would much prefer to watch Paul as they had sex but he didn't want a big long discussion now, he just wanted to be fucked.

He was trying to balance when, without warning, Paul was pushing in, gentle at first but each moan from Nico had him moving faster, thrusting deeper. There was a hand grasping his shoulder and another on his hip, both of his hands were braced against the headboard, stopping him banging his head. Nico was arching his back, moving so that Paul was hitting that spot as he slides in and out. He was aching for it, want had turned to need. Nico was coming hard, clenching around Paul, the rush drowning out everything apart from his own breathing.

Nico whined as Paul withdrew, even though he knew it was coming it still felt weird, the shock of being left open and vulnerable. He thought about joking that Paul was the best he'd ever had, which was sadly true, but he knew it would only make things awkward. Instead he shuffled to the bathroom to clean up and when he came back Paul was getting dressed. Nico wanted to ask him to stay, but he knew that this was the beginning of the end.

*****

"Hey sexy," Nico smirked, ever since he found out that him and Paul were going to be teammates next year he'd been thinking about how that affects their relationship. Can his competitive streak be turned off enough that he wouldn't ruin what he had with Paul? It wasn't serious what they had but it was nice. Once Paul was in the door he leant in for a kiss but Paul stopped him.

"Uh, can we talk?" Paul said, he seemed anxious and Nico knew what he was going to say before he even said it.

Nico sighed before sitting down on the sofa, his manners were telling him to offer Paul a drink but he has to know what Paul wanted to tell him.

"Laura and I have been talking, trying to work things out…" Paul trailed off, he couldn't even look at Nico.

"You're the only guy I've ever loved," Paul blurted, and it was meant to be a compliment but it didn't heal the pain he felt. He'd never thought this was serious; who was he kidding, dating his straight teammate, it was always going to end this way. But it didn't change that being rejected, no matter what the reason, always hurt.

"Friends?" Nico asked. He was more worried about losing a friend now.

Paul nodded in agreement and they hug, Nico almost forgot that they weren't together and started to go in for a kiss, but he caught himself just in time. He cuddled into his shoulder instead.

They chat for a bit and Paul says sorry about a hundred times before he left, the second he was out the door Nico was on the phone to Sergio, the only person who knew about their relationship.

He was expecting some comforting words but what he got was, "Well, that's what you get for fooling about with a straight boy".

"Thanks Sergio," Nico muttered sarcastically.

"You said it yourself, you were just a rebound thing for him," Sergio was trying but it wasn't making Nico feel any better. He knew that what Sergio was saying was true, but he lived in hope that one day Paul would wake up and realise that he was gay or bi (and that Nico was the only guy for him). Nico snorted at how absurd his own thoughts were.

"I just want to meet a nice guy." Nico sulked, he didn't mean for it sound so pitiful but he'd really got used to having someone about, who was there for him.

"You will!" Sergio almost screamed down the phone, "You never know what fate has in store for you".

*****

Kevin had got a drive in World Series Renault 3.5. It was just a step away from Formula one. He could feel his dream getting closer, becoming real in front of his eyes.

He was so excited, a little bit for getting to race the more powerful cars but a big chunk of his excitement was that he was going to get to race at Monaco next year. It was the holy grail of racing, filled with history and had a reputation for allowing the talented drivers to show what they were made of. It was also going to be the same weekend as the Formula one. Where Nico would be racing for Force India. He'd be there at the same time as Nico. Get to talk to him. Say hi. Declare his undying love for him… Well, maybe not at first. But this felt like a sign from the universe. Fate giving him a chance at happiness.

Now he just had to figure out what he was going to say to Nico.


	8. Monaco - 2012

Kevin had spent years dreaming of this, designing this, the tattoo that he was going to have for the rest of his life. It would be magnificent, an intricate angel tattooed across his entire chest. He had drawn the design himself, and his dad was paying for it as his Christmas present.

He watched in the mirror as Stefan, his tattoo artist friend, worked away, drawing the lines that would be the angel's wing, over Kevin's heart and a huge grin spreads over his face. "Keep it clean and all that," Stefan said, he had told Kevin all the aftercare procedures many times, the tattoo had been their sole topic of conversation for the last few months.

"Aye, aye, captain!" Kevin said, smiling as he made a mocking salute. Kevin marvelled at the tattoo in the mirror, he had to resist the urge to touch it, to run his fingers over the angel's wings.

His plan was falling into place, he felt like he was finally back on track to achieving his dream. Winter testing started soon and he couldn't wait to be back in the car, to race on some of the classic circuits. Including Monaco.

*****

Kevin's first race of the season had seen him on the podium, but then he'd retired in the second race of the weekend. Now he was at Monaco and he was going to get a chance to show everyone what he was made of.

Another retirement, and he hadn't managed to see any of Nico, except on the tv screens, all weekend. He knew that one of the guys that he was racing, Jules, was the reserve driver for Force India and he thought about asking him for an invite into the garage. He was a good guy and Kevin was sure that he'd have done it for him, but he couldn't bear to admit his feelings for Nico out loud. Kevin had carried this torch for so long, and it had burned so brightly, that it seemed ridiculous. It was a fantasy and nothing more.

They were all out celebrating, or commiserating, their results from the weekend. They were sitting in someone's flat, drinking away and playing 'never have I ever'. Kevin couldn't think of anything worse, especially since Antonio was here. He wasn't racing in the same series as Kevin but with the GP3 series, which as luck would have it was here in Monaco this weekend too.

There was a bottle of something cheap and strong, ouzo, but Kevin wasn't sure. It tasted like liquorice sweeties and he was sure that he was drunk after just one shot.

"I have never driven a Formula one car," said Arthur, as everyone except Kevin took a shot. Antonio was test driver for Red Bull, Sam for Mercedes, Jules for Force India, Esteban for Sauber and Sergio who had tagged along had raced all weekend in his own Formula one car. It seemed like everyone already had their foot in the door and were one step closer to their dream than Kevin.

"I've never had daddy buy me a race seat," Antonio said, staring at Kevin as he said it.

Kevin went to pick up his shot glass, but then flipped Antonio his middle finger at the last minute. Everyone laughed and cheered but Antonio just folded his arms.

"Gay boy," Antonio mumbled, but it was said loud enough that everyone at the table heard.

Jules and Esteban watched on with excitement as Sam leant back in his chair and looked Antonio up and down. "Just 'cause he won't suck your cock, darling." Antonio looked like he'd been slapped in the face and Kevin felt a strange surge of solidarity, since he'd left home he didn't really have anyone to defend him. Not that he didn't stand up for himself, but there was something amazing about having others to stand up for him.

"I've never been to Mexico," Jules said, just to watch Esteban and Sergio drink. It was nice that someone had got the game back to the fun it should be, if it wasn't for Antonio.

Another couple of questions and things were settling down, everyone seemed to be having fun, even Antonio and Kevin was actually enjoying himself, between racing and everything else it felt like it had been a long time since he was happy. Nico pushed out of his mind.

"I've never drank a Red Bull," Kevin said, watching as Antonio gulped his shot.

"You'll have to watch your back around this one," Antonio screamed, as Will approached.

"This one's my teammate." Will smiled and put his arm round Kevin before giving him a kiss on the cheek and sticking his tongue out Antonio. Kevin was glad to have someone like Will for his teammate, he was good fun, and Kevin was clearly the better driver, so it was a nice ego boost too. "I'm heading to the airport, see ya at the next race."

"Catch you later." Kevin gave Will a hug and with that he was heading off, gone as quickly as he appeared. When Kevin looked around the table he saw that it was Antonio's turn next.

"I've never been on a date," Antonio said, which Kevin knew was a lie, he'd seen him bring plenty of dates home when they shared a flat. But he was doing this so Kevin would have to admit that he'd never been on a date.

Kevin shrugged, downing his shot in one. "Too busy racing."

"Or is it that you're not out yet?" Antonio smiled but the others just scowled at him. Although he'd succeeded in making Kevin feel awkward, and that had been the whole aim.

"Need to go say 'hi' to a friend." Sergio downed his beer before wandering off, leaving the rest of them to carry on. Kevin wanted to go but he didn't really want to sit in his hotel room alone either, so this was the lesser of two evils.

*

"Nice flat," Sergio said, waving his beer around. "Finally going up in the world."

"Thanks, it's definitely an improvement on the little place I used to have." Nico swigged at his beer, wondering who all these people were in his flat. He was sure that half of them probably weren't old enough to drink. One of the guys that was drinking with Jules looked fifteen, sixteen tops. "Please tell me all the babies you brought are old enough to drink."

"Yes… Just." Sergio laughed, resting back on the kitchen counter, looking out over the open-plan flat. Who'd have thought all those years ago that they'd end up here, in Formula one, partying in Monaco? "Still pining for Paul?"

"No. Not at all. Nope." Nico shook his head, he didn't miss Paul, he saw him all the time, but what they had, the closeness, the intimacy. He missed that.

"Think you'll be up for a date tomorrow?"

*

Kevin's mind wandered as the rest of them carried on playing, he drank when he wanted to, no idea what the questions were, or what he was implying that he had done. Sergio wandered back up before whispering to Esteban, who in turn whispered to Jules and Sam.

"I think I've found the perfect person for you," Sergio said, as the other three nodded in agreement. "Are you still going to be here tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes, I'm not leaving until Tuesday." Kevin wanted to say no, he was sure that it was just a joke but there was something about the way that Sergio spoke that intrigued him.

"Two p.m. at Casino Square, Café de Paris." Sergio handed over a little bit of paper, which read, _I'll be wearing red shoes_.

Kevin pictured a pair of red high heels, like something out of the _Wizard of Oz_ , and laughed, there was the occasional woman that turned his head although not usually the type that liked musicals. And refusing this would only make Antonio start with all the gay slurs again, which he could do without. Even if the others were ready to put him in his place.

"Thanks. I'm going to call it a night, if I have to be up and looking human in… Nine hours?" Kevin let out a groan, he was going to end up on this date looking hung over.

Kevin staggered back to his hotel, he drank three glasses of water before collapsing into bed, making sure that he'd set not one, but two alarms so that he wouldn't miss his date.

*****

Kevin was glad that Monaco was a tiny place, he'd slept through both of his alarms, or more likely switched them off in his sleep, and woken up with just enough time to get a shower and find jeans and a shirt that weren't dirty. He ran his fingers through his hair, glad that his hair usually looked good no matter what he did with it.

As he strolled through the streets he was glad to have something to do, if nothing else so that he could say that he'd actually been on a date. The café was crowded which was unsurprising and he was scanning the feet of everyone that was sitting. There were mostly black heels, with a few blues and pinks, but no red shoes.

Kevin was working his way through the café when he saw a pair of bright red trainers sticking out from under a table. He looked up and when he saw who was wearing them he froze.

It couldn't be?

Nico Hülkenberg was sitting at a table, in red trainers, glancing about the café as though he was waiting for someone. Kevin edged closer to Nico, trying to catch his eye until he was standing at the table. He held out the scrap of paper that Sergio had given him and Nico smiled, it was the most beautiful smile. Kevin wanted to tell him that he'd thought about him every day for the last nine years, that he knew they were meant to be together and this was fate bringing them back together. But he was so overwhelmed that nothing came out.

"I'm Nico." He motioned to the seat across from him and Kevin sat down, biting his lip.

He couldn't believe that this was actually happening. "Kevin." Nico smiled again, fidgeting with his glasses as he waited for him to say something more.

"Do you want a coffee?" Nico beckoned the waiter.

"Yes," Kevin said, "I was at a party last night and I drank far too much."

"I know that feeling. I had a flat-warming party and my friend Sergio made me drink tequila." Nico thanked the waiter as he brought the coffee over and poured far more sugar into it than any driver should, but Nico always did have a sweet tooth.

Sergio? Esteban's friend? He was at Nico's party last night and didn't even see him. But fate had stepped in and made sure that they met again.

They chatted about racing, films and travelling. Although Nico didn't mention his family at all. Kevin kept thinking about asking if Nico remembered him but as the afternoon wore on, it became clear that he had no idea who he was. It took all of his effort not to tell Nico about his nine year long crush, but he'd only just got Nico back in his life and he didn't want to scare him away.

"I'd love to do this again." Nico leant in. "Somewhere more private?" He raised an eyebrow and Kevin got the message loud and clear.

Kevin scribbled his phone number on the back of receipt and handed it to Nico. "I'd like that."

Nico typed the number into his phone and clicked a few other buttons. Kevin's phone buzzed and there was a message that was simply a smiley face. It was the perfect representation of how Kevin felt about all of this. Happy.


	9. New Love - 2012

"How was your date?" Will asked, they were setting up for qualifying and Kevin was grinning at his phone.

"Good." Kevin wished that Nico could have come to watch him race here at Spa, but he was already in Canada, preparing for his next race.

"Are you going to see them again?" Will had his cheekiest grin on, the other guys had told him all about how Sergio set him up on a date and Will wanted to know everything.

"Yes." Kevin smiled, he knew that it would be a while before he saw Nico again, but after all this time, he was happy to wait, he didn't want to scare Nico off by being too clingy.

Kevin couldn't believe that after all these years he was actually dating Nico Hülkenberg. He wanted to tell the whole world about it, but he knew it was a bad idea for many reasons. Not only was it going to be a while before they saw each other in person again, Kevin had also not got round to telling Nico that he remembers him from all those years ago or that he'd had a crush on him for all that time.

They had spoken every day, about nothing and everything, it was just wonderful to hear Nico's voice, filled with affection, all for him. His background photo was set to one of Nico, with his glasses, which he'd told Nico looked good on him. Although he'd love Nico no matter what, and he knew that he loved Nico, but he was used to seeing him with glasses, all the photos from that summer had him wearing glasses, and that was what Kevin had got used to. Nico had told him that he'd considered getting laser surgery, but after going through all the pros and cons, he'd decided it wasn't worth it. Kevin was relieved when he'd made that decision, he was sure that Nico would have been heartbroken if he was unable to drive.

*

Kevin had retired in the first race at Spa and he was feeling down, he'd thought that he was going to have a good weekend, he was still floating on a high from Monaco. Not his race, that had been another retirement, but his very first date with the man of his dreams. He was looking at his phone, wondering if he should call Nico when it flashed into life, Nico's photo appearing on the screen.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"I wish I was there to give you a hug."

"That would be perfection." The thought of being wrapped up in Nico's arms was what got Kevin through all the difficult days, through the retirements and the distance between them. But he knew that with racing it wasn't going to be easy to find time together but Kevin also knew that he would make it work.

"Wave to me from the podium tomorrow." And the next day when Kevin stood on the top step of the podium, waving for everyone, only Nico knew that Kevin's smile was just for him.

***

Kevin was sat watching Nico race, clutching his pillow tight, hoping that he'd be able to hang onto fifth position. It would be the best result of his Formula one career, and a good haul of points. Kevin's stomach was twisted with nerves, he used to get excited for Nico's races, but now, he was completely emotionally invested in them, wanting nothing but success for his boyfriend. _Boyfriend_. He was never going to tire of hearing that word, knowing that it meant Nico.

*

Nico heard a soft knock on his door, for a moment he hoped that it would be Kevin, but Nico knew that he was at home, spending time with his mum. He was a little bit envious of Kevin's relationship with his family, Nico couldn't remember the last time that he'd spoken to his family, probably a quick call at Christmas, although did he even call them this year?

Nico shook his head, he wasn't going to achieve anything thinking about his family. Even without telling them, he knew that they'd never accept him. Paul was standing at the door, looking sheepish as he fidgeted.

"Hi. Can I come in?"

"Sure." Nico stood back, letting Paul in. They were still friends, but the conversation was mostly work, and Laura.

"A little birdie told me that you're dating someone." Paul smiled, it still made Nico's heart flutter a little, but it was nothing compared to the way he felt when he thought about Kevin. The rush of warmth and the spark of excitement, even though it was going to be at least another month before they could see each other again.

"Yes." Nico blushed and fidgeted with his glasses.

"Are you going to make me beg for the details?" Paul laughed, and Nico was surprised that he sounded happy for him. Nico had been less than thrilled when Paul had decided to go back to Laura, give it another shot, even though their relationship was always destined to end that way.

"Kevin, he's a racer too."

Paul moved his hands to say 'go on' and Nico told him everything, leaving out the fact that Kevin was nineteen, _nineteen_. He knew five years wasn't a huge age difference, but it seemed strange to be dating a teenager, it felt like so long ago that he was allowed to be a child, to be carefree and happy.

"I'm happy for you." Paul leant in to hug him, and Nico no longer felt the stab of pain at what could have been, he was happy with what he had.

"Thanks." Nico felt his phone buzz, and he apologised to Paul, ushering him out of the room as he picked up the call. "I was just thinking of you."

Nico could hear Kevin smile over the phone, and he grinned, he imagined this must be how other people felt when they were teenagers, chatting to their first love. He'd never felt like this before, the longing to be with someone, the smile that he had every time that he heard Kevin's voice. They chatted for hours, Kevin congratulating him on his race, and Nico would have given anything to be by his side, but he knew that summer break was only a few weeks away, and then he'd have all the time to spend with Kevin.

***

Kevin was lounging around his hotel room, waiting for Will to return. Although Will knew he was seeing someone, he had no idea that Kevin was seeing Nico. He'd stored Nico's number under 'babe' just in case anyone found his phone, and he knew that Nico had stored his number under 'angel' for the same reason.

Will was trying to reassure him about his race, although he'd finished in the points, Kevin was still way ahead of him in the drivers' championship. They were watching a movie and Kevin wanted to slink away and chat to Nico but there was nowhere to go that he could really get privacy, so he made do with texting Nico. He could hear Nico's voice in his head saying the words, soft and comforting.

 **Babe:** I'm sure you'll make the points next race :)

 **Angel:** I will ;)

 **Babe:** I'll be rooting for you xxx

 **Angel:** I know. I really appreciate it x

 **Babe:** I wish I could be there.

 **Angel:** I wish you were here.

Kevin had wanted to meet up with him this weekend, but with everything Nico had to do for the team back at the factory, there just wasn't time. And although the guys must have suspected that he was gay or bi, it wasn't really talked about on race weekends. Kevin wasn't sure that Nico would be telling everyone about them either, they were a long way off from actually telling the world about their relationship. He'd considered telling his mum about them, but he didn't want her to think it was just a crush, an infatuation.

 **Babe:** I'll be counting down the days until I see you again.

 **Angel:** So will I.

Kevin couldn't believe that Nico missed him too, that Nico was every bit as head over heels in love with him as he was with Nico. And as much as he told himself to take things slow, take their relationship as it comes, Kevin knew that he was in love with Nico, that he'd always been in love with Nico, ever since that summer.

 **Babe:** Sweet dreams my angel.

 **Angel:** Sweet dreams my love.

The next race Kevin finished tenth, just in the points and he left Moscow with a smile on his face, heading home to Denmark for the summer break.

***

"I was so close to the points today." Nico let out a little sigh. Kevin had watched the race, screamed at the tv screen hoping that it would be enough to push Nico into the points but in the end he'd finished eleventh, so near and yet so far. He knew that pain, of being so close, of giving it his all and having nothing to show for it.

Kevin wished he was in Hungary, that he could see Nico, be close enough to hold him, tell him that it would all be ok. "You'll get there, the break will do you good." He could hear Nico fidgeting with his glasses, the clink of metal against the phone.

"Do you want to come to Monaco, spend the summer with me?"

Kevin dropped his phone in shock, he'd been thinking about it for weeks now, just getting a ticket and showing up on Nico's door, spend the summer with him but he wasn't sure if it was presumptuous to ask. Although over the last couple of months, their relationship had shown no signs of fading, and after every race Nico called to congratulate him, or commiserate with him and Kevin did the same for Nico. It had become a nice routine, but now Kevin longed to see Nico again, he spent his nights dreaming about him showing up at the garage and his days waiting for the next message.

Now that the summer break was upon them, the thought of spending time in Monaco with Nico was amazing after all that time apart.

"Yes, I'd love to."


	10. First Kiss - 2012

Kevin was fidgety on the plane, unable to settle as the nerves grew, his stomach in knots to the point that he couldn't eat and the coffee he'd had was a bad idea, the caffeine only making him restless and agitated. It hadn't helped that he'd lied to his mum, or rather he'd not told her the truth, but he was so used to being able to tell her anything that this felt strange. But he didn't want anyone to know, not until he was certain about things.

When he landed at Nice it felt like every other airport, and he'd seen a lot of them lately, which calmed him a little. At least it was a familiar routine, the endless queues for getting out of the airport. He was glad that he decided to travel with just hand luggage, it meant he didn't have to endure the monotony of waiting for his bag.

The air was warm when he stepped out into the afternoon sun and the stroll to the bus was nice, a chance to stretch his legs before the journey to Monaco. Nico had offered to come pick him up, but Kevin wasn't sure that he would be able to keep his hands, or lips, off Nico in public. So he'd told Nico that he's already arranged his transport and that he'd meet him at his flat.

Outside the window the stunning scenery rolled past, but Kevin's mind was filled with what he was going to say to Nico after all this time. Although they'd been in contact for the last three months, they hadn't seen each other in person since the Monday after the Monaco grand prix.

They'd messaged each other all morning, and Kevin had texted to say that his flight had arrived on time but there was none of the usual flirty tone to them. Now that they were actually meeting up again, there was a feeling of things getting serious, even though this was going to be their second date.

As he wandered through the streets of Monaco he marvelled at how different it looked from when the grand prix was on. The barriers all gone and there was space to move, people were sitting outside cafés drinking and it felt like he had stepped back in time to the 1960s, classic cars were lined up along the street and even the clothes had a retro feel to them.

Kevin had checked the directions to Nico's flat many times, and he'd stored the map on his phone. The last time he was there he'd followed friends, and on the way back to his hotel he was quite tipsy.

The outside of Nico's place was plain, understated, and it was equally minimalist inside. Kevin stood at the front door, taking deep breaths until he had steadied himself enough to talk without gushing over him like a nervous fanboy.

He knocked on the door and time seemed to slow as Kevin waited, there was the familiar sound of a chain being unhooked and a lock turning. And then there was Nico, huge dorky grin on his face, his hair still perfect as he fidgeted with his glasses.

Kevin was speechless, the sight of Nico just leaning against the doorframe, wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt. His feet looked huge without shoes, so long and Kevin couldn't help but drag his eyes over the bulge in Nico's shorts.

He realised that he'd been staring, with his mouth hanging open and he shut it immediately before trying to think of something to say. All Kevin managed was, "Hi," before blushing, but it only made Nico smile more.

"Hi. Come on in." Nico stepped back and Kevin wandered in, he got a quick peck on the cheek from Nico as he walked by, leaving Nico to close the door behind them. The place seemed much bigger now that it was just the two of them. "How was your flight?"

"Fine." Kevin was standing, not sure if he should take his shoes off, or where he should leave his bag. Was there even a spare room here? It felt presumptuous to just assume that he'd be sleeping in Nico's bed, but he was hoping that Nico would be okay with that.

"You can leave your bag in the bedroom." Nico was stood with his hands by his side, Kevin thought about going in for a hug but he couldn't quite read Nico's body language, so instead he slipped off his shoes and headed towards what he hoped was the bedroom. "It's the first on the left."

Kevin opened the door as Nico called out, "There's a spare room, if you prefer." There was a sigh, and Kevin smiled, he wasn't the only one feeling a little nervous. "I didn't mean to presume."

Relief washed over Kevin and he let out a breath that he didn't realise that he was holding. As long as he wasn't the only one that was worried about making a good impression this week was going to be fine. Once he was in just his jeans and a t-shirt he felt composed, he knew what he wanted, what he'd been waiting for all these years, a kiss.

"Is this okay?"

Nico's voice startled Kevin and he turned around to see him standing in the doorway, smiling as he stepped closer.

"Yes, it's perfect." Kevin could feel the crackle of electricity in the air, the sheer magnetism between them drawing their bodies closer together. Nico drew him into a big hug, his long arms wrapped around him and Kevin wanted to rub up against him, to feel every inch of his skin. He rested his head against Nico's and listened to his heart beat while Nico stroked his hair.

"I've missed you." Nico's breath against his face gave him goose bumps. Kevin smiled, he felt the same way, although he'd missed Nico for so long that it felt surreal to actually be with him, to be able to hold him.

The way Nico's fingers brushed along the side of his neck sent a rush of pleasure throughout his body and he gasped with how good it felt. Kevin opened his eyes, looking up at Nico with absolute concentration, focused only on his lips. Nico cupped his jaw, tilting his head up so that he could duck down, pressing their lips together.

Kevin was amazed how sensual a kiss could feel, he'd imagined this so many times in his head but now that Nico was flooding his senses he was overwhelmed by it all. He stood frozen as Nico's soft lips brushed against his, the smell of his shower gel, mint and lemon, mingled with his natural musk, a scent that made Kevin think of sex.

Nico sighed, a sound of pleasure and contentment and Kevin knew that he wanted more, that he wanted to hear all the noises Nico made. He stood on his tip-toes and deepened the kiss, Nico's tongue dipped into his mouth and Kevin felt his cock twitch, arching his body so that he could rub against him. Nico's large hands were moving their way down his back, and Kevin was overwhelmed by how loved he felt just from one kiss. Although he was already aware that he was in love with Nico, he had loved him unconditionally for all these years.

They kissed until Kevin was breathless and dizzy, his half hard cock trapped and he hoped that Nico wouldn't notice it. Nico stared into his eyes and Kevin felt like they were the only people in the world, wrapped up in the haze of new love.

"I've missed you too." Kevin's voice sounded small and he was still reeling from the kiss, Nico's hair was still perfect and his moist pink lips were the only evidence of their spectacular first kiss.

*

Nico made them lunch, just watching Nico cook for him was a turn on and seeing how much Nico loved his food, Kevin knew that he was going to have to learn to cook. And quickly.

Although given that he was nineteen and no longer living at home, learning cook was something that he should already have done, but he just lived off ready meals and friends cooking for him. When he was home it was worse, his mum cooking for him as though he was still a little boy who wasn't allowed to touch any of the dangerous things in the kitchen.

"Can I help?" Kevin watched as Nico sliced up some tomatoes and arranged them neatly on the bread, before adding a layer of chicken and putting another slice on top. Nico then put bacon and lettuce on top of that before adding the third and final slice.

"Done." Nico smiled and Kevin leant over the kitchen counter to give him a kiss. The food looked amazing and when he took a bite he wasn't disappointed, it was so good and he couldn't help but make appreciative moans as he ate.

Nico ate slowly, savouring every bite and Kevin knew that this was one of the few chances he was going to have to enjoy food, the diets of drivers were painfully restrictive and it only got worse as they climbed up through the ranks. It was one of the few times that Kevin was glad that he was short like his parents, being tall and a racer just made everything more difficult.

They spent the afternoon curled up on the sofa, watching films although they mostly chatted and made out. Kevin getting more confident with each kiss, no longer caring about if it was sloppy, only wanting to hear all the needy whimpers and breathless moans that Nico made when he kissed and nuzzled his neck, and the pornographic noise that Nico made when Kevin bit his lip, not hard enough to break the skin but enough to get Nico to kiss him passionately, his large hands holding him tight and making him feel safe and secure.

The DVD menu played over and over in the background, Kevin was only dimly aware of its music repeating as he kissed Nico. Remnants of dinner were scattered on the floor, the pizza box and chip wrappers left to be cleaned up tomorrow.

Kevin yawned and Nico gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Ready for bed?" Kevin nodded and he wasn't sure what to expect, he was glad that Nico was happy to take things slowly, but would he be expecting more now that they're heading to the bedroom?

Nico stripped off his clothes, leaving only his boxers before sliding into bed, so Kevin did the same, keeping his t-shirt on to hide his tattoo. Kevin lay so that he was facing Nico, able to see his big blue eyes now that he'd taken off his glasses, they'd left two little red marks on his nose and Kevin went in to kiss each one, making Nico laugh.

Their lips met and Kevin let his hands slide along the curve of Nico's back, hovering over his perfect rear as he wriggled to get closer to Nico. It was a nice soft, lazy kiss and Kevin felt himself drifting off to sleep. He yawned and Nico shuffled them so that Kevin could rest his head on his shoulder.

"Sweet dreams." Nico placed a kiss on the end of his nose.

"Sweet dreams." Kevin wanted to say that all of this was a dream come true for him, but it sounded so cheesy. He liked that it all seemed so easy, and for the first time in a long time he slept without dreaming of Nico, knowing that he would actually be there when he woke up.

*

Kevin woke up with the sun streaming on to his face. He rolled over to see Nico still sleeping, his soft blond hair looked like a halo with the light and Kevin ran his fingers through it, causing Nico to wriggle before getting comfy again.

Nico opened his eyes and smiled, reaching out for Kevin and pulling him into a hug. Kevin relished the warmth of Nico's body against his, even through the t-shirt he could feel the heat radiating out from him.

He'd slept in his t-shirt, not sure if he wanted Nico to see his tattoo but now, bathed in the glow of the early morning light, he was sure. Kevin sat up, slipping out of his t-shirt as though it was no big deal, and lying back with his hands behind his head.

Nico stared at him before tracing the tattoo with his fingers, and Kevin's heart skipped a beat when Nico brushed over the angel's wing, smiling to himself as his boyfriend kissed him all over, worshipping him. Until Nico's stomach grumbled.

Kevin laughed, Nico had always liked his food and it was nice to see that nothing had changed in that respect. "I think we should get breakfast."

Nico nodded and slid out of bed, heading for the bathroom and Kevin heard the sound of water running. He thought about getting up, joining him but he wasn't sure he wanted to Nico to see all of him yet, the tattoo was a start for today.

Kevin was lost in his thoughts when Nico wandered through with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist and carrying a tray with breakfast on it. There was fresh fruit and yoghurt, two cups of coffee and a flower in a vase which brought a smile to Kevin's face.

Nico put the tray down on the bed, making sure that it was stable before offering Kevin a cup. "Is this okay?"

Kevin nodded as he watched Nico take a bite out of a strawberry, its soft pink flesh leaving his lips looking flushed and moist. He leant in for a kiss, one eye on the tray, Kevin didn't want all the food to go to waste. Nico's lips were soft and combined with the taste of strawberry it reminded Kevin of summer holidays and the feeling of freedom. It had been years since he'd felt so carefree but now, with Nico next to him, he felt like he didn't have a care in the world, and that time was slowing down for him so that he could enjoy their time together.

Nico fed him a strawberry and his eyes scrunched up with how much he was smiling. It made Kevin's heart race every time that he saw Nico smile, and he was sure that his own smile was equally large, but he didn't care. Kevin was sure that it radiated out from his very core, and that everyone could see that he was a teenager in love.

"What do you want to do today?" Nico took a spoonful of the yogurt, looking at Kevin as he watched Nico lick his lips.

"Something outside, in the fresh air." Kevin was tired of airports and hotels, and the only time he'd ever seen Monaco was when there was a race on, which meant that everything was fenced off and swarming with people.

"I think I know the perfect place."

*

The motorbike was hidden under a cover, and it surprised Kevin that Nico would have a motorbike but he wasn't sure why. A love of all things fast went hand in hand with motorbikes.

Nico handed Kevin a helmet, it was clearly an old one of his, with Nico's iconic orange stripes that he'd used for so long. Kevin smiled as he pulled it on, he would never admit to anyone that he had one of Nico's team shirts in his bag, Nico said that he had lots and Kevin wasn't sure that he would ever wear it but he just liked having it.

"Ready?" Nico asked as he pulled on his helmet.

"Always." Kevin hopped on the bike behind Nico, his arms wrapped tight around his waist as he revved up the bike.

They meandered through the small twisty roads around Monaco but once they were out of the city and heading along the coast, Nico sped up. He zipped around the corners, forcing Kevin to hang on tight, and the way that bike was vibrating as he pressed up against Nico had him half hard.

Every turn had Kevin gripping a little tighter and Kevin loved every second of it. The adrenaline was surging through his veins and he felt like he was invincible.

It wasn't long before Nico pulled into a small trail by the beach, taking it slowly as they pulled up to a patch of grass overlooking the ocean. Nico held the bike steady as Kevin hopped off before kicking out the stand. They left the helmets with the bike and Nico took Kevin's hand, wandering over to the grass and taking a seat.

Kevin marvelled at how well he fitted between Nico's legs, surrounded by him on all sides as he leant back against Nico's muscular chest, the warm summer breeze wafting through his hair.

Nico kissed the back of his neck and Kevin felt so special, lucky to have someone as kind as Nico to spend his time with. He would have been happy to be friends with Nico just to have him back in his life but having a romantic relationship with him was heaven. Nico was so kind and generous, and Kevin was already picturing them spending the rest of their lives together, even though they'd only been together for a few months. But he still had his feet on the ground, he knew that relationships took work, and even then, sometimes no amount of effort would keep a relationship together.

They spent the afternoon chatting, Kevin couldn't help but feel a little sad for Nico, he never mentioned his family, although there was probably a good reason for that. Kevin remembered the anger that Nico's mum had shown when she yelled at him for liking boys, and Kevin was so glad that his parents weren't like that.

Nico's fingers ran through his hair, startling him out of his thoughts. "What were you thinking about? You looked unhappy."

"I was thinking about something that happened a long time ago." Kevin wasn't sure how much he wanted to tell Nico, everything was so nice and he didn't want to ruin it by bringing up all the unhappy thoughts.

Nico moved so that he was facing him, staring into his soul. "You can tell me about it, if you want." Nico stroked the side of his face, tilting his head up so that their lips met and he gave him a chaste kiss, more for comfort than any sexual reasons.

"When I was younger a woman screamed at me for being gay." Kevin cuddled into Nico, would he realise that he was talking about his mum, would this bring back awful memories for him too?

"Your mum?" Nico stroked Kevin's back, there was nothing in his voice that suggested he was upset by the topic of conversation.

"No, she's not like that. My whole family are so supportive." Kevin smiled, he knew he was lucky. "But it just scared me that some people are like that, that they have all this rage and anger just because I'm gay."

"My family are like that. Hateful." Nico's voice was low, just audible over the wind. "But I have really good friends who know and I'm so lucky to have them." Kevin held Nico's hand, stroking the side of it with his thumb. "Every year I make up an excuse as to why I can't go home for Christmas and then I spend it with friends, or alone, either way it's better than going home."

"I'm sorry." Kevin stifled a tear, he wished that the world wasn't like this, that everyone could be lucky enough to have parents like his.

"I thought about telling my parents once, shocking them. But it didn't seem worth it, I don't want a fight, I just want a quiet life. And that's what I've got now, so to hell with them."

Kevin fought the urge to tell Nico that he loved him no matter what, instead he held him close, and he knew what would make everything better for a little while.

"I'm a bit hungry, is there anywhere good to get a burger around here?" Kevin looked at Nico as a huge smile crept on to his face.

"I know the perfect place."

Nico drove a little more carefully on the way to the café, and once they were there he managed to order in French, which Kevin didn't know that he spoke. It was quite sexy hearing him speak French and Kevin found himself staring with his mouth open.

The food was amazing and it had Nico scoffing it down before sitting back and putting his hands on his stomach as he groaned.

"Loved every bite."

*

The days flew by in a blur of food and sun, Nico spoiling him at every opportunity. Lazy days spent on the beach and equally lazy evenings spent curled up on the sofa. Kevin never wanted it to end but he knew that today was his last day.

There were so many things that he wanted to tell Nico but he couldn't find the words, it could all wait until they had longer together.

*

It had been a scorching day, there was no breeze and Kevin was glad that he'd packed sunscreen, although the way it made his skin feel greasy wasn't pleasant after so many hours. But a nice cool shower had made everything better, and drifting off to sleep in Nico's arms had been the icing on the cake. Until he'd woken up less than an hour later, covered in a sheen of sweat as the thin sheet clung to his damp skin.

Kevin lifted the blanket off but the air was just as warm and even with the window open there was no breeze coming in off the cool ocean. He wriggled trying to get comfy but nothing seemed to feel right.

He was trying to wake Nico but he kept squirming until a soft voice said, "Are you okay?"

"I'm too hot to sleep." Kevin knew that he sounded pitiful but he was so tired and warm. He'd never felt heat like this in Europe before.

"How does a nice cool shower sound?"

"Mmm." Kevin nodded as Nico slid out of bed, unable to keep his eyes off the way his bum moved as he walked away.

The sound of water running echoed through the flat and Kevin wandered through to the bathroom where Nico was already naked in the shower.

"Want to join me?"

Every cell in Kevin's body screamed yes until he caught sight of Nico's cock, standing proud as the water rippled over his muscles, and he felt apprehensive again. He knew that Nico wouldn't judge him and that he wouldn't pressure him into anything. Nico had been nothing but a gentleman the entire time.

Kevin slinked out of his boxers and strolled towards Nico, trying to keep the grin off his face as Nico dragged his eyes over him.

The cool water was like heaven on his skin, and Nico's icy hands tracing every line of his tattoo, every curve of his body was a precious gift. Kevin savoured every second, the water pouring over their lips and it made it more erotic, which given that he'd spent the whole week half hard was saying something.

The way Nico's hands cupped his arse, fingers trailing over his hole had Kevin wanting to scream 'fuck me' but as nice as it felt he just wasn't quite there yet. Kevin still had a slight feeling of apprehension, nervous that he wouldn't live up to Nico's expectations, that he wouldn't be good enough for him and he didn't want that on his mind. He wanted to wait until all those nagging little fears were gone so that he could revel in the whole experience, remember it forever.

*

Sitting in Nico's car outside Nice airport was just the most awful feeling. Kevin didn't want to go home, but he knew he had to, he was racing in a little over a week and he had to go to the factory, get ready for the next race. Nico rested his hand on Kevin's knee and Kevin took it, intertwining their fingers. Nico moved in for a kiss and Kevin let all the feelings wash over him, noting every little detail, like the way Nico fidgeted with his glasses before he went in for a kiss, or how his lips picked up in a little smile every time he said Kevin's name, as if just hearing the word made him happy.

Kevin took a small wrapped gift out of his bag, about the size of a paperback, and handed it to Nico. "I know it's not your birthday for another week, but I wanted to give it to you in person."

"Can I open it now?" Nico's grin was big and Kevin couldn't wait to see what he would be like at Christmas.

"Sure." Kevin watched as Nico tore at the paper, revealing a book. _To Hell and Back – An Autobiography – Niki Lauda_.

He held his breath as he waited for Nico to say something. "I love it, it's my favourite era of racing."

Kevin remembered that summer, all those years ago as Nico lay out on the beach reading all about the history of Formula one, Nico reading to him and how special it made him feel.

"Thank you." Nico rested his forehead against Kevin's, their noses touching and he knew that he was going to miss Nico even more now that they'd had this time together. "I'm going to miss you."

Saying goodbye, knowing that it was going to be a few months before they saw each other again was the most painful thing, and as Kevin sat waiting for his plane he looked through all the photos of him and Nico together. Every photo showed them both with big smiles and they looked so happy together. Kevin couldn't believe how lucky he was, and no matter how awkward things were with them both racing, he would do anything to make this relationship work.

*

"Did you have fun with your friends?" Britt asked as Kevin dumped his bag in the hall before wandering into the living room.

Kevin smiled, he'd had a lot of fun and he wasn't sure that he'd be able to keep it a secret, but he just couldn't find the words to tell his mum, not yet.

"I had a great time, lots of fun."

"That's good sweetie. I know you love racing but you need a break sometimes."

"It's going to be Christmas before I know it." Kevin laughed, and he really hoped that was true, because he was going to have to wait that long to see Nico again.


	11. Apart - 2012

Kevin was sitting in the garage waiting for qualifying to start when he saw a familiar face, Antonio. He'd thought that he just did the last couple of rounds to fill in while Red Bull found a replacement for another junior driver that had been dropped, but here he was, strutting around the paddock in full race gear.

"What's he doing here?" Kevin asked Will, who leaned over to see Antonio talking to someone.

"Red Bull have decided that Antonio's doing the rest of the season."

Kevin sighed, that was just his luck. It felt like he'd never be free of him, always shadowing each other. Kevin had a horrible feeling that he'd end up racing him in Formula one, still having to put up with his offensive remarks and childish taunting.

"Typical."

"Don't worry, I'll tell him you're taken now." Will winked at him, his deep laugh echoing around the garage and Kevin smiled, happy that he had friends around him, even if the universe had sent Antonio back to annoy him.

*

"I'm going to show you girls how it's done." Antonio had just strolled up to their table, even though he wasn't invited, and he definitely wasn't welcome. "Bet I can beat all of you this year, even though you've got a head start."

Sam snorted and Jules glared at him, but Kevin was worried that it would be true, for all of Antonio's personality flaws, he was a good racer, and being part of Red Bull's junior programme meant he had a serious incentive to get better. They didn't tolerate failure, which is why Antonio was here, the guy before him had been dropped for not performing.

"We'll see about that." Kevin finished his drink and wandered off to the bathroom, he didn't really need to go but he just wanted to be away from Antonio.

He was sat in a cubicle, checking his phone when he saw that Nico had texted him.

**Babe:** Good luck for your race tomorrow x

**Angel:** Thanks x

**Babe:** I'll be rooting for you xxx

**Angel:** I know. I really appreciate it x

**Babe:** I wish I could be there.

**Angel:** I wish you were here.

Kevin felt a little sad that a lot of their conversations ended with how much they wanted to be together, but on the other hand they both loved racing, and travelling the world. He couldn't wait for the day that they were both in Formula One, racing together, it would be wonderful.

**Babe:** Are you free to talk now?

**Angel:** No, I'm out with the guys.

**Babe:** I'll call you on Sunday x

**Angel:** I can't wait to hear your voice x

Kevin wanted to hear his voice now but the toilets weren't really the place for a romantic heart to heart and he should probably go back to the guys, hopefully Antonio would be gone by now.

He slunk back to the table, disappointed that Antonio was still sitting there, chatting away as the others looked confused.

"I'm going to get an early night. See you all tomorrow," Kevin said, and he got of chorus of 'me too' as the rest hurried to leave. He had to resist the urge to look over his shoulder to see Antonio sitting alone, but just knowing it had happened, that was satisfaction enough.

*

Two DNFs later and Kevin was starting to think that Antonio had put some kind of curse on him, but he had the rest of the season to make it up, get back on the podium.

At least he had Nico to look forward to. Just the thought of hearing his voice made everything better.

He leapt across the bed as his phone rang, glad to see Nico's photo flashing up on the screen.

"Hi, angel."

"Hey, babe." Kevin couldn’t help but grin as Nico told him about his day, training and watching movies.

"You'll be on the podium next time, I can feel it."

Kevin wanted to reach through the phone and hug him, he always seemed to know what to say. "I'll make you proud." It sounded so cheesy but Kevin didn't care, Nico brought out the romantic in him, and he wasn't going to apologise for that.

"You always do."

Kevin's smile got even bigger and he felt like his face would split if he grinned any more, he was still amazed that Nico was his boyfriend, and that Nico seemed to be as much in love with him as he was with Nico.

All his worries melted away as they talked about everything and anything, it was just nice to hear Nico's voice and to have someone who supported him that wasn't his mum. Although she would always be his biggest fan.

"Goodnight my angel."

"Sweet dreams babe." Kevin snuggled into bed, remembering how good it felt to sleep beside Nico over the holidays, and he couldn't wait until it was Christmas. He would find a way to spend time with Nico no matter what. Now that they were a couple, he found that his need to be with Nico was amplified, like his soul was longing to be reunited with its true love.

But all that disappeared when he raced, which was the way it should be. The best racers left everything behind. While they were on track they had no family, no ties, they were bound to no-one and only the race mattered.

He knew that racing would keep him going until he saw Nico again, and Nico would get him through the winter break until he was racing again.

***

Nico was back at his hotel after a night out celebrating with the team, not many drivers would celebrate fourth position, but to him it was a huge achievement. The drinks had been free and the combination of beer and champagne had left him tipsy.

He knew it was late and that Kevin would probably be asleep, but he wanted to hear his voice. It was selfish but he loved how it made him feel, the fluttering of his heart as he talked to him.

"Morning." Kevin yawned and Nico felt guilty, but it didn't stop the rush of euphoria making him grin as he listened to every little gasp and sigh from Kevin. "It was a great race today. I was screaming for you to make the podium." Kevin laughed and Nico felt warm and fuzzy. Just knowing that Kevin wanted him to do well, to succeed was all the encouragement that he needed.

"I could feel it." Nico's words were slurred and he wanted to spill his heart out to Kevin, but he knew it was a bad idea.

"Did you have fun celebrating?" Kevin asked, and Nico told him all about his night out, how Paul was a terrible dancer, although he left out the part where Paul had ended up grinding against him, asking him to come up to his room, and he'd had to politely remind Paul that they were both taken. He was sure that it was just the alcohol, and that Paul would regret it in the morning, if he even remembered doing it.

Kevin yawned again and Nico knew that he should let him sleep. "Sweet dreams my angel."

"Sweet dreams babe."

Nico hung up, whispering 'I love you' into the phone, well aware that Kevin could no longer hear him, he didn't want to pressure him, make him feel like he had to say it back. He knew that he'd fallen for Kevin, he was always on his mind and every message, every call, made him smile uncontrollably. All he wanted was to fall asleep with Kevin in his arms each night, and wake up next to him each morning.

He stared at the small box by the side of his bed, he would have to post it first thing once he was back in Monaco. Nico just hoped that Kevin would like it.

***

Kevin had already spoken to Nico and he'd wished him happy birthday, which was more than enough of a present. He was celebrating with his family when there was a knock on the door and a courier handed his mum a small package, barely bigger than a book.

"Looks like you've got another birthday present." Britt handed him the gift and waited for him to open it while he just stared at it, unsure if he wanted to be opening it in front of his mum. In the end he knew it would be more questions if he opened it in private, so he tore it open to reveal a small box, about ten centimetres square.

He took a deep breath before opening it, and he gasped when he saw what was inside, a leather bracelet that had angels' wings on it. Kevin couldn't believe how special it made him feel, and the thought of always having a reminder of Nico sent his heart racing.

_Happy Birthday my angel. Love, Nico x_

Kevin noted the 'love', they hadn't got around to actually saying it yet, although every phone call Kevin got a little closer to just blurting it out.

**Babe:** Do you like your gift?

**Angel:** I love it! It's perfect!

**Babe:** I saw it and I thought of you x

Kevin took a photo of him wearing the bracelet, as his mum watched on with a smile on her face.

**Angel:** Every time I see it I'll think of you x

Kevin thought of Nico all the time already, but this was such a touching gesture, a token of his love, and Kevin felt so happy that Nico was his boyfriend.

"Are you going to tell me about your mystery guy?" Britt asked, smiling as she sipped at her coffee.

"It's still all really new." Kevin wouldn't lie to his mum, if she asked outright he would tell her, but he didn't want her to think that it was just a crush, especially after all these years.

"Are you happy?" She watched him carefully as he struggled for an answer, trying to read his reactions.

"Yes. He makes me really happy." Kevin knew he was grinning but he didn't care, he showed his mum the bracelet but not the card. He would tell her soon, as soon as he knew it was serious.

"That's good." She gave him a hug and Kevin felt a stab of pity that Nico didn't have this, family that loved him unconditionally.

"Thanks mum."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek before holding his shoulders and staring at him. "Don't forget to use a condom."

Kevin blushed, the other week he'd actually gone out and bought some, for the first time ever, and he had them stashed away in his suitcase, just in case Nico was to randomly show up at one of his races. He knew it was unlikely, and that Nico would probably have some already, but he wanted to be prepared, because the more he thought about the idea of making love to Nico, the more the nerves faded.

***

"I can't believe that he beat me." Kevin tried not to sound sad, but he couldn't help it. He knew that he wasn't going to win the championship, but being beaten by Antonio, after all the taunts and insults, that was a hard blow.

"Next year you'll come back stronger, and you'll win it." Nico wished that he could be there to hug him, tell him that it would all be okay, that he could do it. "You've got all winter to improve and next year you'll show him who's the better driver."

"Thanks Nico."

Nico wondered why he hadn't called him babe, or the endless series of pet names that Kevin seemed to have for him. Was the distance too much for him? He was still young, and it was a lot of work, but Nico had thought that they were coping well with it. It would be the holidays soon and Nico was trying to work out how they could spend time together.

He knew that Kevin would spend Christmas with his mum, but that left time on either side that they could be together. Now all he had to do was figure out how to ask Kevin without it seeming presumptuous. Nico felt like they had something special but he knew that rushing things would be the quickest way to scare him off, but he still had time to work it all out.

Kevin told him all about what the other guys were up to now the season was over, although he'd heard a lot of it already from the drivers in question. But it was lovely to hear Kevin excited for his friends. It was an admirable trait, being able to separate what happened on track from the rest of life, it made everything easier as a racer. He was glad that he'd managed it, especially with having Paul as his teammate, although that was going to change very soon.

***

Nico had been talking about his options for next year quite a bit lately, he'd said that he didn't want to end up in a situation where it was too late for him to find a seat, and since Force India were dragging their heels about driver announcements he had been looking at where else might have a seat for him.

In the end, he'd managed to get a seat with Sauber, and it was going to be a step up for him, a chance to show the big teams what he was made of.

Kevin had been the first person that Nico had called when the deal was done and he couldn't contain his excitement when he finally saw the press release confirming it.

He'd called Nico, but he only got his voicemail, so he decided to leave a message.

"Hi babe, I know I've said this before but I'm so happy for you, and I just want you to know that I love you."

Kevin waited for the options and deleted the message, he didn't want to tell Nico that he loved him like this, he wanted to wait until they were together again, even if that meant waiting more than a month.

In the end he sent Nico a message, wondering what he was up to. He ended up scrolling through all the pictures he had of Nico as he drifted off to sleep, clutching his phone tight as he snored.

He was so tired that the sound of his phone buzzing didn't wake him. Nico had sent him a picture of him and his new teammate, Esteban, smiling for the media. Underneath was the caption; _I wish you were here to celebrate with me ;)_

Kevin woke up the next morning to see the photo, and Nico's smile was so big that Kevin ended grinning at his phone. But when he saw the message, his cock immediately jumped to attention, his mind filled with all the possible ways that he could help Nico celebrate.

He stretched himself out on the bed, his cock springing free as he inched his boxers down, biting his lip as he imagined Nico towering over him, trailing kisses over his body as his fluffy blond hair tickled at his skin, his lips wrapping around his cock.

Kevin came with a shudder, warm come spilling over his hand and he wondered if Nico knew just how much he turned him on. He couldn't imagine sex with anyone else, it was always Nico in his fantasies, and now, he was going to find out first hand. Kevin knew that he'd built it all up in his head, but no matter what happened, he wasn't going to be disappointed, just as long as Nico was there, that would be perfection.

***

Kevin had been waiting for it to be a reasonable time in Brazil so that he could call Nico, he'd ended up with a collection of calling cards for various countries, but the thought of not talking to him when he was outside of Europe was more than he could bear.

"Congratulations. You beat your teammate," Kevin said, he was so proud of Nico, he'd worked so hard this year and things were only going to get better for him.

"Thank you angel." Nico's smile came through clear and Kevin felt his skin tingle with excitement.

"I'm going to be in Britain during the first week of December. I'm visiting the McLaren factory." Kevin felt all nervous, he wanted to ask Nico if he could see him, if he'd be there. He took a deep breath but before he could say anything, Nico spoke.

"You could stay with me while you're there, I'll be at the factory up until Christmas."

Kevin could hear Nico smile again, and he was grinning at his phone, just the thought of seeing Nico again filled him with joy. Other bits of him were equally happy and Kevin knew that all his apprehension about sex with Nico was long gone, replaced by want and need.


	12. Christmas Gift - 2012

Kevin was stood at the bus stop waiting for Nico to pick him up from outside the McLaren factory. His visit had been fun and he'd got to see all the old cars, and the pictures of his dad when he used to race for them all those years ago. There was no hard feelings there, his dad was the first to admit that he didn't work as hard as he could have, and that he definitely wasn't in the best shape back then.

The air was crisp and Kevin was wrapped up in a big scarf and a woolly hat, even though he was sure that home got colder than this in the winter.

Just when he was starting to wonder where Nico had got to, a small Volkswagen Golf pulled up in the lay-by and Kevin was surprised to see Nico at the wheel.

"Expecting something fancier?" Nico laughed and Kevin smiled. He threw his bag in the back seat before sliding in and he wanted to give Nico a kiss, but he wasn't sure who was watching, so instead he settled for just resting his hand on Nico's knee.

"I've missed you." Kevin felt like there was static electricity in the air, the hairs on his arm were standing on end and he felt all excited.

"I've missed you too."

On the drive to Nico's place he caught up with all that had happened over the last couple of weeks, although they'd spoken nearly every day, it was nice just to hear Nico's voice.

Every touch of Nico's hand, every soft laugh, had Kevin wondering how he was going to stop himself jumping Nico the second they were inside. He wasn't sure if he would be able to keep his hands to himself for the rest of the drive, never mind the rest of the day.

Nico pulled up outside a small block of flats, nothing as fancy as his place in Monaco but it was enough for when he was at the factory. The team had paid for it, so it didn't matter what it was like, just as long as it had a bed and a kitchen. He'd been at this long enough for the novelty of hotels to have worn off.

Kevin followed him up, their shoulders touching as they walked. Nico couldn't stop himself smiling, having Kevin close by was a relief after all these months apart and he couldn't believe how good he felt when Kevin was around. Not that all the calls and messages weren't nice, but there was something about seeing Kevin in person that was perfection.

Once they were in the door, Nico led Kevin to the bedroom, he could see that his eyes were already black with lust, but he didn't want to rush things. He wanted it to be something loving and tender, rather than a frantic quickie. And in order to do that, Nico was going to need food first.

"Pizza for dinner okay?" Nico asked, and he could see the disappointment on Kevin's face. He ducked down for a kiss, Kevin's lips were rough and chapped from the cold and Nico nipped at them, pressing their bodies together as his hands traced the curve of Kevin's back before cupping his perfect rear. Kevin groaned out loud, deepening the kiss and Nico knew that he was going to have to put the brakes on this before they ended up grinding on the bed.

Nico broke the kiss and Kevin pouted, whimpering with frustration but Nico just held him tight, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. "I need to take my contacts out. The menu for the pizza place is in the kitchen, do you want to decide what toppings you want?"

Kevin wanted to sigh, but he was grateful that Nico had slowed things down and now that food had been mentioned, Kevin realised that he was quite hungry. He stood on his tip-toes so that he could kiss Nico's cheek, before whispering, "Later."

Nico's grin as he walked away made it all worth it and Kevin smiled to himself, he wasn't sure if he would find the words to talk to Nico about taking their relationship further, but in the end he'd only needed that one word.

Kevin wandered through to the kitchen come living room, passing Nico taking out his contacts on the way. He always liked it when Nico wore his glasses, it reminded him of the first time that he saw him, that summer so long ago. If he was honest, he didn't really see much difference in Nico, he was a little leaner on the face, his chubby cheeks fading over the years, but apart from that he was still the same Nico, with that same smile that sent Kevin's heart racing.

The menu for the local pizza place had lots of choices, but as much as Kevin knew that he had to eat, he didn't really have a preference, his mind was filled with all the other things that were to come over the next few days.

He saw that the 'meat feast' pizza was circled on the menu, it wasn't a surprise that it was Nico's favourite, meat and cheese were two of his most favourite things in the world.

"Have you decided?" Nico smiled and with his glasses it made him look even more adorable.

"Yes." Kevin held up the menu, his finger pointing at Nico's favourite and Nico laughed.

"Good choice." Nico leant in for a kiss before calling in the order, he also got garlic bread and a lot of chicken strips, although it would all be good to eat cold for breakfast.

Kevin put the kettle on, he could do with a cup of coffee, and he'd never seen Nico say no to a cup either.

They curled up on the sofa under a blanket that Nico had fetched from his bed, drinking their coffee as they watched a film, waiting for the food to arrive. Kevin had never seen Nico move so quickly as when the delivery guy knocked on the door, he leapt off the sofa as Kevin held his coffee cup out of the way so that the blanket didn't knock it.

When Nico returned with the food he was grinning from ear to ear and Kevin was always amazed how much he ate in the holidays. He must have the strongest will power if he managed to diet all season, or maybe he was just lucky.

There was the clattering of plates and cutlery from the kitchen and Nico brought all of the food through to rest on the small coffee table, there was barely enough room for it all.

"I'm so glad that you're here," Nico said, Kevin had never known him to talk while his food was sitting getting cold, but he was honoured that Nico would do it just to tell him how much he liked spending time with him. "I've missed you so much."

Nico went in for a kiss, soft and loving, his fingers trailing down the side of Kevin's neck as he licked away every gasp and moan, eating them all up as his hands wandered lower. Kevin was teasing at the elastic of Nico's boxers, was he really going to want sex over food?

Kevin's stomach rumbled, answering the question for him, and Nico laughed. "We should eat, there's plenty of time for everything else later."

Later was starting to become a mantra and Kevin felt his cock twitch with all the implications of the word. But the smell of the food won, the greasy, garlicky cheese that tasted like heaven and Kevin ate until he was stuffed, so full that all he could do was lie out on the sofa, cuddled into Nico as they watched movies.

Nico was stroking his hair as Kevin listened to his heart beat, the soft warmth of his breath on his cheek was cosy and Kevin felt his eyelids drooping as he drifted off to sleep.

*

Kevin woke up on the sofa to the sound of running water, his mouth felt dry and he'd put his arm to sleep. He rubbed at his hand until the blood came back and he wondered what he should do. A shower seemed like a nice idea, but should he wait for Nico to finish? Would Nico mind if he joined him?

He felt like he'd missed his chance with Nico, he couldn't believe that he'd fallen asleep while watching a movie, or that Nico wouldn't have woken him, although maybe he tried. Kevin felt conflicted, he wasn't sure what to do but he knew what he wanted to do.

His clothes were left in a pile on the sofa, the cool air making goose bumps stand out on his pale skin. He held his breath as he scampered through to the shower and waited on the other side of the shower curtain.

Nico must have heard the door as he peered round, leaning in close so that he could steal a kiss. "Are you going to join me?"

Kevin's smile morphed into a grin and he climbed into the bathtub, letting the warm water surround him, stinging against his cool skin before subsiding into a comforting blanket. He blinked as he took in the sight before him, all of Nico's lean muscles rippling as the water flowed over them, making him glisten as he flicked his wet hair out of his eyes, smoothing it back before stepping closer so that he could wrap Kevin up in his arms.

Just having so much of Nico's skin pressed against him was arousing, but then Nico started to kiss the side of his neck, nuzzling into him as his hands caressed his back, stroking circles into the small of his back to relax him. Not that Kevin needed to be any more relaxed, he was happy for Nico to do what he pleased with him.

Nico's hands were inching lower, fingers trailing over his hole as he pressed their bodies together, Kevin's hard cock pressing against his thigh as the warm water enveloped them. He started to rock his hips, his kisses getting sloppier and more frantic as he got closer to his climax.

Kevin looked done already when Nico broke the kiss, lathering up his hands so that he could wash Kevin as he stood quivering with every touch. Nico slowed the pace, making him wait for each kiss, for each stroke. Kevin threw his head back as Nico washed his hair, massaging his scalp with little circles that had Kevin amazed at how sensual washing his hair could feel. Kevin thought that he was going to come from that alone but Nico stopped just in time, letting the water rinse all the foam away.

When Kevin thought that he could no longer take the teasing, Nico switched the water off and dragged his eyes over Kevin, so pale and skinny, he felt that he must look like a drowned rat compared to Nico.

Nico was convinced that Kevin was the most gorgeous creature that he had ever seen, his lips pouty and swollen as his cock stood proud, twitching with anticipation while his black eyes stared at Nico, sizing him up.

"Bed?" Nico waited for Kevin to nod before stepping out of the bathtub. Nico wiped his glasses dry on the towel, he saw that Kevin was shaking and breathless, and Nico held his hand out to make sure Kevin didn't slip.

He patted the worst of the water off Kevin's sensitive skin, each little gasp went sent his senses into overdrive and Nico picked Kevin up, giving him a second to wrap his legs around Nico's waist before carrying him to the bedroom, his damp hair dripping as Nico tried to walk and kiss, which was much harder than he thought it would be. Although other things were the same and he couldn't stop his cock leaking where it was pressed into Kevin.

Nico lay Kevin out on the bed; his legs spread wide and his arms outstretched, he looked like a work of art, a beautiful canvas for his vast tattoo. Kevin had bulked up over the six months that they had been dating, and it suited him. It made his tattoo stand out, the angel looked like it was ready to take flight with every ripple of his muscles.

He crawled onto the bed, kneeling over Kevin as his fingers traced his tattoo, starting with the shoulders are working his way in, enjoying how Kevin writhed under his touch, gasping as he traced over his heart. Kevin went to sit up but Nico coaxed him back down, diving in for a kiss before resuming his worship.

Feather light touches had Kevin frustrated to the point that he felt like he would cry if he had to wait much longer, but he wanted to revel in every sensation, the way that Nico's lips found every inch of delicate skin, tender and waiting for the next press of soft lips. Nico's wet hair left little drops of water, sending shivers through his body, a beautiful contrast to the warmth of Nico's body.

Nico's fingers trailed along his cock, and he groaned out loud, arching his back for more but Nico moved his hand away.

Kevin gasped, he wasn't sure he'd be able to speak in English but he managed just one word, "Please?" His voice wracked with need as Nico's talented tongue kissed along his inner thigh, every touch felt like more the closer that Nico got to his cock and he felt tears well up his eyes from the frustration of it.

Nico looked up and saw Kevin's face contorted with need, he was biting his lip and his brow was furrowed. "Do you want this?" Nico hoped that he sounded sexy, he wanted to put on a good show for Kevin, and he heard a whimper.

"Yes," Kevin gasped, his hands reaching out to grab at Nico's perfect hair, leading his head up towards his cock. The warmth of Nico's tongue licking its way up his cock was so arousing, so intimate that he had to take a few deep breaths to compose himself, and he was glad that he did, because the second that Nico's mouth surrounded the tip, he knew that he wasn't going to last long at all.

Nico's fingers brushed at his hole, teasing the trail of fur around it as he sucked away, his tongue flicking at the tip with each thrust and Kevin had never felt such a connection to another person, he knew that he could give himself over completely.

The tip of his cock hit the back of Nico's throat and his body shuddered, spilling come down Nico's throat as he greedily sucked it all down. His fingers were gripping Nico's hair and Kevin was sure he must be on the verge of pulling his hair out but his orgasm was so good, so forceful that he couldn't get his muscles to relax, not yet.

Kevin let out a sob, his body so grateful for the relief and tears streamed down his face as Nico rushed up to hold him, kissing his tears away as he stroked at his oversensitive skin, delighting in each gasp of pleasure.

"Feel good?"

"Amazing." Kevin yawned and cuddled into Nico, rolling over just enough that Nico could drape the blanket over both of them. Nico watched him drift off to sleep for the second time in less than a day, wishing for a future where he could fall asleep next to him every night.

Nico kissed his forehead before taking his glasses off and then cuddling in so that Kevin's head was resting on his heart. He fell asleep with the biggest grin on his face and he knew that he was the luckiest guy in the world, to have an angel like Kevin as his boyfriend.

*

Kevin woke with a jolt, grabbing on to Nico as he opened his eyes, looking around to see what was happening.

"I was going to make you breakfast in bed." Nico glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "Lunch in bed?"

Kevin laughed and Nico ducked down for a kiss, running his fingers through his hair as he felt Kevin melt under his touch. Kevin was still sleepy and they held each other for a minute, content with each other's company. Nico felt Kevin nuzzle against his neck, his breath warm on his ear.

"I love you." Kevin's voice was so low that Nico almost thought he imagined it, but he could feel Kevin holding his breath.

Nico's heart raced, he hadn't expected Kevin to say it first, even though he was sure that Kevin was every bit as in love with him as he was with Kevin.

Nico tilted Kevin's head so that he was looking right into his eyes. "I love you too."

*

Lunch in bed had been nice, and Kevin was happy to spend the rest of the day in bed. He knew that he had to leave early tomorrow morning, and it would be after Christmas before he saw Nico again.

It was nice to lay out together, their warm skin pressed together as they kissed. Kevin was getting braver with every gasp and moan from Nico and he found his hands wandering down the fine trail of blond fur that lead right to Nico's huge cock.

Just the sight of it made Kevin feel weak at the knees and he knew that he was going to enjoy having Nico inside him, but not yet. He liked that they were taking it slow, little steps. Not rushing these things made Kevin feel like they would have a long relationship, that there was something more than just lust.

Kevin ran his fingers along the length of it, watching as Nico scrunched his eyes shut, mumbling words of encouragement as Kevin wrapped his hand around Nico's cock. It was thick and heavy in his hand and he could feel it throbbing.

Every stroke had Nico writhing on the bed, Kevin kept varying the speed and force of the strokes until Nico was breathless and grasping at the sheets. He swiped his thumb over the tip and Nico cried out as he came, screaming in German as Kevin teased his oversensitive skin.

Kevin waited until Nico opened his eyes before licking him clean, it tasted neutral, a hint of sweat and something distinctively Nico, like pizza or burgers. Although given the amount he ate of them it wouldn't be a surprise.

"I love you," Nico said, as Kevin cuddled in next to him, grin on his face as he licked his lips for show. He leant in for a kiss and Nico let his tongue roam, tasting himself as Kevin kept on grinning.

"I love you too." Kevin wondered if he should tell his mum, he hadn't told anyone about them just yet. But would it mean having to remind Nico of when they first met? Would he think it was strange that he hadn't mentioned it before now?

Nico felt Kevin tense and he could see that his brow had started to furrow. Was this all too quick for him? Had he rushed things?

"What are you thinking about?" Nico stroked the side of Kevin's face, relieved that it made him relax and smile.

"I was thinking about telling my mum. She knows I'm seeing someone, but not who."

"You don't think she'll approve of me?" Nico tried to keep the worry off his face, he knew that although five years wasn't a huge age difference, when he thought about how Kevin was twenty and he was twenty-five, it sounded worse. Although not as bad as when Kevin was a teenager, even though he was nineteen when they met, the mere use of the word teenager made it sound untoward.

"It's not that." Kevin cuddled in to Nico as he chose his words carefully. "I'm sure that she'll love you. I just didn't want her to think it was a crush, but now I know that it's something more, that I love you."

Nico smiled, he wasn't sure that his parents would ever accept this, but he didn't care, he was happier than he had ever been, and that was the most amazing feeling in the world. Knowing that he was loved and cared for.

"I know it's early, but I got a gift for you." Nico leant over to get a box out of the drawer, it was fancy, as though it should hold jewellery, like the ones that were big enough for a watch lie flat in. "Open it."

Kevin looked at him with big eyes and a cheeky grin, his mind was reeling with what might be in the box. He opened it slowly, the hinge creaking as it gave way to reveal a ticket.

CPH – NCE  
07:42  10 Jan 2013    
K J Magnussen

"I thought you could come stay with me before the season starts. It would give us a couple of weeks together." Nico stared at Kevin who was still frozen. "But only if you want to."

"Of course I want to." Kevin grinned before leaning up for a kiss, he couldn't believe that this wonderful guy with his dorky smile was his boyfriend. "I… Thank you."

Nico soaked up every kiss, holding Kevin tight as he whispered how much he loved him. He didn't want to take him to the airport tomorrow, but knowing that he would see him in just under a month made it bearable. Nico wasn't sure how he was going to manage next year, but they would make it work, the only thing worse than waiting, would be not having any time together at all.

***

"How was the visit?" Britt asked, he had already told her all about the factory, but when he'd said that he was going to visit a friend in Britain afterwards, her tone of voice suggested that she knew he was visiting his boyfriend.

"Good?" He didn't mean for it to come out sounding like that. Kevin wasn't confused about if he had a good time, he had a great time and he was sure that he was still grinning. He just wasn't sure how his mum would react when he told her.

His mum looked at him with concern written all over her face and Kevin knew that he would have to tell her now, just to stop her worrying.

"Do you remember Nico, from that summer?" Kevin looked down at his lap as his mum made a little noise that told him to carry on. "Well, I was at Monaco and I went to a party, and a friend of a friend set me up on a blind date. Which I thought was a wind up, but when I got there, I saw Nico."

"You two must have had a lot of catching up to do." Britt took another bit of cake from the coffee table but Kevin was sure that she'd done it just to get him to look at her, and it had worked.

"He doesn't remember that summer." Kevin shook his head, the more serious his relationship with Nico got the more he felt like not telling him was deceitful. "But maybe that's for the best, have a fresh start."

"I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." Britt came to sit on the sofa next to Kevin, giving him a hug. "If he makes you happy then that's all that matters."

"He does, he makes me so happy." Kevin ended up telling her everything, well, almost everything about their relationship so far, and he wished that he'd told her sooner, but it was all out in the open now. It was a nice relief, it felt like order in the universe had been restored.

Now Kevin just had to be patient and wait until he could see Nico again.


	13. Friends - 2013

Now that Kevin had been intimate with Nico, he wanted more, but that was difficult since they were in different countries. He was just glad that video calling existed, and that his mum was out visiting his aunt for the evening.

The bubbly Skype ringtone chirped away and Kevin could feel his cock twitch in anticipation of seeing Nico again. He was back in Monaco, and Kevin was going to visit him before the season started, but he had to spend some time at home first. Kevin was happy to be home, he always was, but the thought of actually being with Nico again, made him grin with excitement.

He'd not long since gotten out of the shower and he was wearing nothing but a towel wrapped round him, and he was now trying to work out the best angle for the laptop so that Nico could see _everything_.

Little did he know, that Nico was doing the exact same thing as he padded around his flat in Monaco, wondering if he should put some clothes or just make do with a towel that would be easily dispensed with. In the end mostly naked won, and he would tell Kevin that he'd just got out of the shower, that way there was no pressure for anything more than just talking and catching up. Although from the way his cock was starting to harden just at the thought of seeing Kevin again, he hoped that there would be something more.

When the video of Nico appeared on his screen he was glad to see so much of his silky, soft skin on display and from the way Nico was grinning at him, he knew that they both had the same idea.

"How was your Christmas?" Kevin had seen all the photos of Nico and his friends swigging beer out of comically large mugs somewhere in the Alps. Even though they'd not talked every day, they'd still kept each other updated about what they were up to.

Kevin had felt strange about flaunting the fact that he was spending Christmas with his mum, but she was all he had. His dad lived in the States and although he'd spoken to him on Christmas day, he had another family that got to spend the holidays with him. But Kevin didn't mind that, and his half-siblings were just adorable, so he was glad that he got to be the cool big brother.

Nico fidgeted with his glasses, and his towel slid down slightly, sending Kevin's heart into overdrive at the thought of getting a glimpse of Nico's magnificent cock. "I've missed you." Nico let the towel fall either side of his lap, his cock nearly fully hard and resting against his hip.

"I've missed you too." Kevin lay back on the bed, slipping the towel off before adjusting the laptop so that it got all of him in the shot, letting his hands trail over his cock as he stared at Nico.

It felt so strange to be doing this with someone watching, even if the someone was Nico. In person it was so different, being able to feel and respond to Nico's body, but now it was just him, the room was eerily quiet apart from the whirring of the laptop fan.

Kevin giggled and covered his face, his cock wiggling as he blushed. "I'm sorry, this is just a little strange."

Nico laughed, it was warm and comforting, and Kevin saw that he'd pointed the camera at his cock, his legs spread wide giving Kevin an amazing view. "I'll just have to put on a show for you. Would you like that?"

Kevin nodded at the screen, biting at his lip as he took a deep breath. "I'd like that."

"Do you like watching me play with myself?" Nico's voice was low, it sent shivers through his body and his cock twitched in appreciation.

"Yes." Kevin's fingers had wandered down to his cock, holding himself without moving, all his attention focused on Nico.

Nico was stroking himself slowly, his big hands cupping at his balls as he made a show of how flushed the tip of his cock was, letting Kevin know he was achingly hard.

Kevin salivated at the sight of pre-come dribbling, knowing that he tasted so good, and he tightened his grip on his cock, licking his lips as he watched Nico stroke faster, smearing the liquid at the tip as he moaned and gasped like a porn star.

"I can't wait to feel you inside me." Nico's fingers teased at his hole, and Kevin held his breath as he leant in closer to the screen, watching Nico finger himself, hole stretched and filled. "You're going to feel amazing." Nico had picked up his pace and Kevin's hand automatically matched it, unaware that he was doing it. "Stretching me, filling me, fucking me."

Kevin let out a grunt before coming into his hand, Nico following suit as he held his cock proud, come spilling out and dribbling down the side.

Nico moved the camera so that Kevin could see his face, his hair messy from the pillow and he licked his hand clean, giving Kevin a show as to just how talented his tongue was. By the time Nico finished, Kevin was half hard again and he was staring at the screen, blinking in amazement at the fact that his very talented boyfriend seemed to be able to double as a porn star.

"I love you so much." Kevin reached out to his laptop, but it wasn't the same.

"I love you too." Nico blew him a kiss, which Kevin caught, pressing it to his lips. "Less than a week and you'll be here in my arms." Nico paused and his brow furrowed. "I really miss you. I never thought I'd feel this way but I miss having you around."

"I'll be there soon." Kevin wanted to be there now, and not just for the sex, to hold Nico, to fall asleep in his arms. To lie about on the sofa and eat pizza while talking about everything and anything.

***

Nice airport was becoming a familiar sight to Kevin and he felt excited to see it again, for it meant that he was going to see Nico very soon. Nico was going to come and meet him, and Kevin wanted to run through the airport but he knew it would probably attract too much attention. He was going to have to play it cool until they got back to Nico's place, no holding hands and no kisses. It shouldn't have been too hard to manage, but the second he saw Nico he knew that he was going to have a hard time keeping his hands to himself.

"How was your flight?" Nico fidgeted with his glasses, with them and his ordinary clothes he looked almost average. Well, Nico was never going to be average, but he sure didn't look like a glamourous F1 driver. He was nicely inconspicuous.

"Good." Kevin smiled and he wanted to just wrap himself up in Nico, but he would have to wait. Once they were in the car, Nico rested his hand on Kevin's knee and that was enough, just feeling the warmth made Kevin relax. It made him smile to see Nico wearing the friendship bracelet that he'd made for him, he couldn't think of a better present, a little something that would always remind Nico of him.

The drive didn't take long and by the time they pulled up at Nico's place Kevin was buzzing with excitement. He leant over to steal a kiss but the gearstick was in the way and it was too awkward for anything more than a kiss, not that Kevin would have minded, but since there was a perfectly good bed waiting for them it made sense to use it.

His bag was left in the car and Nico led him to the bedroom, clothing left in a trail as sloppy kisses got more passionate, hands grabbing at any inch of free skin until Nico was picking Kevin up, carrying him to the bed as Kevin nibbled at his ear, feeling Nico's hard cock pressing against him.

Kevin lay out on the bed, waiting for Nico to join him but Nico stood at the end, staring at Kevin as he dragged his eyes over him, making him feel fucked already just from the way that Nico looked at him.

"You're so beautiful," Nico said, and that way that he blushed made Kevin feel so special, that Nico Hülkenberg, the man of his dreams, who he had fantasised about for most of his life, thought that he was attractive.

Kevin patted the bed and Nico lay out next to him, both staring at each other with love in their eyes, happy just to be together again, but that wasn't going to be enough for Kevin, and from the way that Nico's cock was half hard and twitching in anticipation, he wasn't the only one that wanted more.

He trailed his fingers over Nico's body, tracing the outline of every muscle as Nico ran his fingers over the angel's wings before letting his hands work their way down to his bum, giving a little squeeze as he leant in for a kiss, bringing their bodies together so that Nico could wrap himself around Kevin. Nico pulled Kevin on top of him, spreading his legs so that Kevin slotted in between them.

Kevin soaked up every gasp and moan that fell from Nico's lips, their bodies grinding together as he could feel his cock start to leak and he sat up so that he could see Nico, his eyes black with lust and his hair tousled from where Kevin had been running his fingers through it.

Nico looked so beautiful, and Kevin knew that he wanted to ravage him, ever since their chat the other day it was all he'd thought about, what it would feel like to be inside Nico. He licked his fingers, putting on a show with his tongue until they were good and moist, before reaching down to tease at Nico's hole, his other hand caressing the back of his neck so that their lips could meet. Lazy, sloppy kisses in time with the movement of his finger, teasing Nico until he was arching his back and begging for more.

Kevin didn't even have to ask where Nico would keep the lube and condoms, he was efficient and the bedside table had a little drawer at the bottom. Nico put his hands behind his head, watching as Kevin hung off the bed, arse in the air as he picked out what was needed.

He was thankful that the lube appeared to be a tub of jelly-like goo which didn't make too much mess. Kevin made sure Nico was watching while he slicked up his fingers and he went in for one last kiss before making himself comfy between Nico's legs, enjoying the fact that Nico was all ready and waiting for him.

Kevin slid a finger in and he felt so tight and warm around him, so snug that Kevin couldn't quite believe that he'd be able to fit his cock inside him, even though he'd seen Nico finger himself with three fingers, the feeling was so different to seeing.

Nico panted, breathing heavily as Kevin settled into a nice pace, waiting until his finger moved freely before adding another, gently nudging that spot so that Nico ended up grabbing the sheets, crying out in German before relaxing around him.

"I want your cock."

Kevin grinned, Nico was already flushed and writhing on the bed, he couldn't wait to see what he looked like when he was filled. He fumbled with the condom packet but his fingers were still covered in lube and he couldn't get a grip on it.

Nico took it, wiping the lube off using the sheet before opening it up, taking out the condom and sitting up so that he could roll it on for Kevin.

"I'm sorry. This isn't sexy." Kevin hung his head but Nico lifted his chin so that they were staring at each other.

"It is. It's sexy because it's you doing it. Your smile, the way that you kiss, your perfect skin, all sexy because it's you. And you're the sexiest thing in the world to me." Nico went in for a kiss, and Kevin felt dizzy already, his heart fluttering with Nico's kind words. Kevin had never thought that it would be possible for him to love Nico more than he already did, but knowing that he felt the same was pure joy.

Nico eased them into position, little kisses reassuring Kevin that he was doing it right, and when he felt the tip of his cock pressing against Nico's hole, quivering and open, waiting for him. Kevin took a deep breath and pushed in, Nico threw his head back in pleasure, his eyes screwed shut as he waited for Kevin to bottom out inside him.

"You feel so good." Nico's voice was soft as though he was far away, and Kevin stroked the side of his face, bringing him back to reality. He opened his eyes and once he was looking at Kevin, he started to thrust, gentle at first, but then Nico grabbed onto his shoulders, wrapping his legs around Kevin's waist.

Nico looked so beautiful with his cheeks flushed, muscles rippling as he arched his back and Kevin felt a tightness in his groin, his orgasm preparing to release itself and he tried to take deep breaths, force himself not to come but it was all over so quickly and he shuddered as he came, biting his lip as he tried not to make a sound.

Kevin stared at Nico, expecting him to look disappointed but he saw only contentment. "You're gorgeous when you come."

Nico led Kevin's hand to his cock, wrapping his own around it as he held Kevin close to him with his legs. Kevin was still half hard and he could feel Nico grinding against it as he helped stroke him to his climax, his lips compressed as Kevin felt his muscles flutter around him. Nico writhed on the bed as he came, spurting come everywhere and any worries Kevin had about messing up the sheets were long gone when he saw where some of the splatters of come had landed.

Kevin waited for all the little aftershocks to fade out, leaving Nico limp on the bed, before pulling out. Nico gasped as he withdrew and Kevin ducked down to kiss at his open hole, kissing it all better where he'd stretched him wide.

"You felt so good," Nico said, as Kevin cuddled in next to him, still stroking at his sensitive skin.

"Maybe next time you could top?" Kevin fluttered his eyelashes, trying to keep the grin off his face but it was no use, he'd fantasised about it for so long and now he was going to get his chance to find out just how good it would feel.

"I'd love to see you riding my cock." Nico rolled over so that they were face to face. "Your angel watching over me."

Kevin gasped as Nico brushed over the inked lines, when his stomach made a loud grumbling sound. It had been far too early to eat before heading to the airport, and then the excitement over seeing Nico again had suppressed his appetite, but now after all that exercise, he was really hungry. Although he was sure that Nico would understand, the only thing he seemed to love as much as him, were food and racing, and Kevin could relate to both of them.

"Food?"

Nico smiled, it was nice to have someone who didn't judge him for his eating habits. "Food sounds good."

***

After a lazy day of food and making out, Kevin was surprised to be woken so early by the sound of Nico in the shower. He wandered through to join him, eyes still crusty with sleep, and he was rewarded with a good morning kiss, a simple comfort that he could definitely get used to.

"Couldn't sleep?" Kevin asked, he'd never known Nico to get up early when he was on holiday.

"I said I'd meet Paul for brunch, you don't have to come but I'd like you to meet him." Nico started working away with the shower gel, washing Kevin clean as he thought about it. He'd heard Nico talk about Paul quite a bit, they worked for the same team for a few years and even though Nico had moved teams now, they were still good friends, so it would be nice to meet him. Especially since he'd not seen Sergio again since Monaco, and he really should thank him for setting them up.

"Sure, it'll be nice."

*

Kevin was already regretting his decision when Nico decided to fill him in on a few facts, including the fact that Paul knew he was gay, and that Nico had told him about their relationship, so they didn't have to hide anything.

"So Paul knows that you're gay? What if he uses it against you?" Kevin knew that it was a horrible thing to say about a friend, but he'd known guys that would use anything to gain an advantage over other racers, which was why he wasn't out to anyone apart from his parents, and Nico.

"He'd have to admit that we used to have a relationship first." Nico winked and Kevin smiled, but it was forced. He hadn't known that Nico and Paul used to date. "It wasn't serious but… It's all in the past anyway."

"Cool," Kevin said, when he felt anything but.

He was sure that it wouldn't be too bad to meet Nico's ex, since they were still good friends it should be easy. Nico had changed the subject as they strolled up to the café and Kevin wanted to hold Nico's hand but he knew it was far too public a place. So he fidgeted with his bracelet, the one that Nico had given him and was comforting, having a little bit of Nico close to him.

There was coffee and waffles and it all felt sociable at first, Paul asking a few questions about how they met and what Kevin did.

"You'll be joining us in F1 soon," Paul said, and Kevin felt himself relax, he could talk about racing forever, it was a nice safe topic of conversation. "We better watch out, he'll be coming for our seats." Even though it was said in a joking manner, Kevin could hear that the laughter was covering the pain. Midfield drivers were more at risk of losing their seats to anyone with a bigger cheque and that was an awful situation to be in.

Nico and Paul carried on chatting and Kevin realised that they weren't speaking to him, they were just catching up on everything that had happened. He tried to join in a couple of times but to no avail, so he decided to head back to Nico's place, let them reminisce in peace.

It was nearly an hour later when Nico noticed that Kevin wasn't there. "Did you see where he went?"

"No, I guess he got bored of us." Paul smiled and Nico felt awful, how could he not have realised that Kevin had left? "I'll get this, you go find your man."

Nico shook his head, he should have known that letting Kevin meet Paul was a bad idea, although they'd been together for a while, they hadn't got a lot of time together yet, and he should have told Kevin about everything in advance, not on the way to meet Paul.

By the time he got back to his place, Nico was on the brink of tears, had he ruined the only stable relationship that he'd ever had? Would Kevin be mad at him for not telling him all of this sooner?

He found Kevin curled up on the sofa watching a movie, and he rushed over to sit next to him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you like that, it's just been a while since I saw Paul." Nico took a deep breath and Kevin wiped a stray tear from his cheek. "I should have told you about Paul."

"It's alright, I just didn't want to intrude on you catching up with a friend." Kevin went in for a hug, wrapping himself around Nico as his glasses pressed into the side of his face. "And I guessed that you must have dated other people. Although now that I've had a chance to think about it, knowing that you're still friends is nice."

"I was just a rebound thing to him and I didn't love him. I was lonely and I wanted affection and he was there, it was a pretty one-sided thing. Paul and I are better off as friends than lovers." Nico nuzzled at Kevin's neck, he was amazed how mature he was, he was expecting a fight but it seemed that his parents' way of dealing with issues in a relationship was not by any stretch of the imagination the best way. "I hope you know that I love you, in a way that I've never loved anyone before, it's more than just sex or affection. I want to be by your side forever."

"I love you too." Kevin gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and Nico could feel his smile pressing against him.

Nico squeezed Kevin tight before asking the question that he wasn't sure if he wanted an answer to. "Have you dated other people? Before me?"

"No. Does that matter?"

"Not at all. All that matters is you want to be with me. I still want to take it slow, get to know you." Nico could see Kevin's brow furrow, and he knew he was in for a lot of questions.

"Apart from Paul, have there been others?"

Nico wasn't sure that he wanted to think about how many guys that he'd had sex with over the years, or if he'd want Kevin to know about it, but if he really wanted something long-term he was going to have to be honest. "So many, nothing more than one night stands, I can't even remember their names, if I even knew them. It was fun at the time, what I wanted, but now I want something more stable, an actual boyfriend."

"Good job that you found me then." Kevin sat back so that he could stare into Nico's eyes, Nico had never seen so much love and affection shining out for him but he was glad that they had found each other. He thanked Sergio every time that they spoke, for without him, none of this would have happened.

He could never have imagined that this cheery little angel would come into his life and make everything feel right, like they were meant to be.

That night they sat on the sofa eating junk food and talking until the sun came up, learning each other's past as Nico enjoyed the company, the sense of peace that he felt whenever Kevin was near.

***

The rest of the holiday flew by, Kevin was trying to savour every moment as it would be May before they saw each other again, back in Monaco for their anniversary. He couldn't believe how quickly time had flown, or how close he had come to never seeing Nico again. It would have been a cruel twist of fate that would have seen them get so close without ever meeting. Even though Kevin didn't believe in fate, he thanked whoever or whatever was in control of all these things for making sure that Nico was back in his life.


	14. Esteban - 2013

Kevin was lying out on Nico's bed, lounging as he enjoyed the warm spring air and the sea breeze rolling in. It was so nice to be back in Monaco, not just because it was a great track to race on, and with all the eyes of the Formula one paddock watching them, but because he got to stay with Nico while he was here.

He couldn't believe that it was their one year anniversary. Time had flown now that Nico was back in his life, although they had both been so busy racing that it wasn't a surprise. It all meant that every minute that they got together was precious, and although Kevin loved seeing Nico happy, he wasn't entirely pleased that it was talking about his teammate, Esteban.

Nico was telling him everything about Esteban, he'd mentioned a few things previously, when they spoke on their almost daily calls, but now he was telling him everything in detail.

Kevin let out a yawn, it was involuntary but he wouldn't have been surprised if his subconscious had done it deliberately so that he could suggest that they sleep. But other bits of him were showing the world that he wasn't quite ready for sleep, not yet.

"How about I tire you out before bed?" Nico shuffled closer so that he could see Kevin without his glasses on and his eyes were so beautifully blue that it looked like all of Nico's love for him was radiating out for all the world to see.

Kevin was torn, he wanted to talk to Nico, tell him that all this talk of Esteban made him a little jealous, especially since they got so much time together and this was the first time that he'd seen Nico, in person, since January.

But he couldn't find the words and he didn't want to spoil the mood, plus the way that Nico was licking his lips had him shivering in anticipation of all the wonderful things that Nico's tongue could do to him.

Nico leant in for a gentle kiss, it made Kevin feel like they had all the time in the world and not two more nights together before having to be apart for another three months. His soft lips made Kevin gasp and moan, Nico's big hands running down the curve of his back as his lips worked their way along the side of his neck, leaving him breathless and gasping before Nico even got near his leaking cock.

Each kiss tested Kevin's patience, he was torn between wanting Nico just to get on with it and wanting the feeling of anticipation to never end, to build and build until he was ready to explode, and at this rate he wasn't going to last long.

Kevin bucked his hips, pressing his cock against the side of Nico's neck and letting him know that it was aching to be kissed too. Nico looked up, grin on his face as he bit at his lip, all part of the tease and Kevin let out a low growl, a needy sound that said so much more than words ever could.

Nico's warm mouth surrounded the tip of his cock, and Kevin let out a sigh of satisfaction, forcing himself not to thrust into Nico's mouth and he ran his fingers through Nico's hair, stroking it as Nico's talented tongue did amazing things to him.

It wasn't long before he was begging in Danish, broken gasps that needed no translation and he felt Nico's long fingers teasing at his hole, asking for permission.

"Yes," was the only word that Kevin could manage, the rest of his mind taking in every little detail as he rushed towards his climax, he knew that Nico's fingers thrusting inside him would be all it took to push him over the edge and he cried out in pleasure as they pushed their way in, teasing at that spot as he heard Nico gag, swallowing it all as he drank in all the aftershocks, waiting until Kevin was limp and sated before cuddling in next to him.

"I love you," Nico whispered, as he held Kevin tight, making him feel so safe and secure as he surrounded Kevin with his body.

"I love you too," Kevin said, his words slurred as sleep took over and he held Nico close, all his worries long gone, replaced by love and affection.

*

Kevin woke up to an empty bed, the Formula one drivers were much busier than the junior drivers. He only had one race, with a short qualifying and a little bit of practice beforehand, but Nico had hours in the car before he even got to qualifying, as well as a full schedule of media commitments and dinners with sponsors.

He spent all day looking for a glimpse of Nico around the track, but he knew that he was going to have to wait until the evening until he could see Nico again, wrap himself up in his big strong arms and kiss him all over.

Just as they had finished for the day, Kevin realised that his thoughts were showing, race suits showed everything, and just as he was wondering how he could cover it up, Antonio wandered in.

"I'm going to win this one, show everyone that I deserve to be in F1," Antonio said, the cruel smile on his face was a familiar sight to Kevin and he could feel himself slinking into his seat, glad that there was a folder filled with data nearby that he could cover his lap with.

"I thought you were Red Bull's golden boy, that you had that Toro Rosso seat waiting for you and no-one else." Kevin tried his best to look indifferent; he took no pleasure in putting Antonio down, he just wanted him to leave, preferably forever. No-one was supposed to know that Mark Webber was retiring, which meant one of the current Toro Rosso drivers would get a promotion, and leave a vacant seat for one of Red Bull's junior drivers, but Antonio was telling anyone that would listen that it was his seat already.

"I do." Antonio's voice was no longer confident, the smirk wiped right off his face, and Kevin thought that would be the end of it, but Antonio was getting closer and Kevin wasn't sure that he could stay sitting for long enough for his cock to get the message that it was bad timing.

"So, what does it matter where you finish then?" Kevin flicked through the data, he wasn't taking any of it in, but he wanted to look busy.

Antonio leant in close and Kevin felt a shudder creep over him. "I just want everyone to see what a failure you are."

Kevin wanted to run, but he was trapped by his own traitorous body. The horror of Antonio not enough to cancel out the anticipation of seeing Nico again soon.

"Hi, Kevin, it's good to see you again."

Kevin couldn't quite place the voice, it was familiar and yet he couldn't remember where he'd heard it before. It wasn't until they got closer that Kevin saw Paul, looking down at Antonio as he stepped in to sit down next to Kevin.

"We met when you visited the factory?" Paul had a flicker of a smile on his face as Antonio looked confused.

"You're talking to F1 teams?"

Kevin nodded, a mere flicker of the head, and he knew that ignoring Antonio would annoy him more than anything he could say in response.

"Yeah, it's good to see you again," Kevin said to Paul, they started talking about racing, how the track here at Monaco suited the Force India, and points should be possible. Every attempt Antonio made to join the conversation was ignored, and just as it was starting to feel cruel and childish a few mechanics wandered in and gave Antonio a funny look.

Thankfully Antonio left after that, and Kevin hoped that if he ever made it to Formula one, that Antonio wouldn't be there.

Once Kevin and Paul were alone, he breathed a sigh of relief, and Kevin couldn't believe that Paul was being nice to him given his history with Nico.

"Thank you," Kevin said, wondering what he'd done to deserve this, given that the one and only time they'd met hadn't really ended well.

"Nico would be mad if I didn't look out for you, and I don't want to see him when he's angry." Paul laughed at his own joke and Kevin smiled, relieved that there were no ill feelings.

"I can't imagine Nico getting angry," Kevin said, he'd never seen Nico get mad, a little annoyed a few times, but nothing serious, it just didn't seem to be in his nature.

"He doesn't do it often, but when he does, you don't want to be in the firing line." Paul raised an eyebrow and Kevin couldn't work out if he was teasing or not, although he couldn't imagine arguing with Nico about anything, so he wasn't ever going to have to worry about it. They got so little time together that it seemed a waste to spend it with disagreements, they were nothing but open and honest with each other, and in return they had a stable relationship. Kevin wouldn't have it any other way.

There was peace in the paddock, the roar of the engines gone as everyone finished for the night, cars lying in wait of their chance to shine on race day.

*

"You shouldn't let him get to you," Nico said, "He's not worth it."

Kevin had headed straight back to Nico's flat so that he could tell him everything, and Nico had listened to Kevin tell him everything, how they shadowed each other for years, how they shared a flat long ago, and all the awful things that Antonio had ever said to him.

Nico stopped fussing over dinner and leant down to kiss Kevin, trying to smooth away all the worry lines on his forehead with his soft lips but it didn't stop Kevin frowning.

"You're right, I'm going to win the championship, and get to F1," Kevin said, standing on his tiptoes for a kiss, "And I'm going to race against you."

Nico smiled, ducking down for another kiss, and that was when he noticed that Kevin had to stand on his tiptoes to kiss him. He wasn't sure why he'd never noticed before, or why he found it so hysterical but he couldn't stop laughing. Kevin looked confused but when Nico's only words were, "You're so short," as he slid down the kitchen cabinet while laughing away to himself, Kevin's expression quickly turned to unimpressed, but Nico still couldn't stop laughing.

It took far longer than he was proud of to stop laughing, and by that time Kevin had made most of dinner while staring at him with a mixture of worry and amusement. Although it seemed to have diffused most of the anger, and Nico now had a pain in his chest from laughing so hard, which was a fitting punishment.

"I never realised that you stood on your tiptoes to kiss me," Nico said, and he felt a rush of laughter reappearing but he caught it in time, waving his hand as though he was trying to keep all the funny thoughts away, which didn't really appear to work as little giggles kept escaping from his mouth.

"You're tall." Kevin shrugged, and Nico could see his patience wearing thin. He dumped the pasta into the colander to drain with more force than was needed, and Nico pulled himself together.

"I'm sorry, it just struck me as funny." Nico put a hand in to try and steal a bit of pasta and Kevin slapped his hand away.

Kevin pouted, but he couldn't stay mad at Nico, and he wasn't the type to pretend to be mad just to make Nico feel worse about it. He deliberately stood on the very tip of his toes so that he could kiss Nico on the forehead. "You're forgiven."

"I'm sure I can find a way to make it up to you after dinner," Nico whispered, and Kevin let out a little gasp, his cock twitching as it wondered if Kevin would be able to convince Nico to choose sex over food, but he knew that food would always win with Nico.

The food was inhaled, and Nico wasted no time in picking up Kevin and carrying him to bed, kissing him all over until they were grinding against each other, no finesse just sheer need and frantic moans, which was over as quickly as it started and they fell asleep in each other's arms, their busy days catching up with them.

*

Kevin had to tear himself out of bed the next morning, Nico got a later start and he thought about waking him for a kiss, but he looked so perfect laying out in the morning sun, his hair messy and glinting in the light.

He left Nico a note before letting himself out, glad that the door locked itself once it was shut.

*

Kevin ended up just shy of the podium in his race, fourth, but it was still ahead of Antonio, and that made him happier than any win. As much as it was early in the season Kevin could feel that he was on track to win it, that he could be champion this year.

He then had the pain of watching Nico fight to try and get into the points, only to finish eleventh. Somehow it was worse watching it than it was actually racing it, although Kevin found that he wasn't always aware of what position he was in the race, it was just a case of find the next car and overtake it.

When Kevin left the track he checked everywhere to try and find Nico and when he couldn't see him, he decided to head back to the flat and wait for him there, since Nico would have to return home at some point.

The walk wasn't too bad and Kevin was wondering what Nico might be up to when he saw Esteban strolling in the same direction. Jealousy reared its head and Kevin couldn't help but wonder why he was feeling this way, he didn't doubt Nico's loyalty, and yet he couldn't quite shake the feeling of unease about it all.

Kevin walked faster so that he could try and outrun his thoughts, and by the time he reached Nico's front door he was practically jogging. He knocked on the door, taking a deep breath and wondering if Nico was even here when the door opened.

"Hey, I was wondering where you'd got to," Nico said, and Kevin felt everything else fade away.

Kevin stepped into the flat, and he saw that there were candles on the table, as well as the most satisfying smell of food.

"I know our anniversary isn't until Tuesday, but since this is our last night together, I just wanted to do something special for you." Nico leant down for a kiss and Kevin was left frozen, amazed that Nico would go to all this effort for him.

"Thank you."

"Come, sit, food's nearly ready." Nico smiled as he led Kevin to the table, holding his hand as though he was a prince. He pulled out the chair for him and even draped the napkin over his lap, which made Kevin smile, he wasn't used to being treated this way.

Nico gave him a little kiss on the forehead, and Kevin enjoyed the view as Nico walked to the kitchen, his bum jiggling nicely as his bare feet slapped against the wooden floor. He returned carrying a tray of desserts and nothing else, and Kevin couldn't believe how lucky he was to have someone like Nico.

Just the smell of warm chocolate and rich caramel had his mouth watering and Nico came to sit down next to him, close enough that he could feed him little bites of the cake, the mascarpone melting with the warmth of it.

Kevin closed his eyes, savouring every bite. Nico ended up with a smudge of chocolate on his lips and he leant in to lick it off, which descended into frantic kisses and ended with Nico carrying him to the bedroom, Kevin holding on tight as he kissed along the side of Nico's neck.

"I can't believe it's been a year already," Kevin said, his eyes a mere halo of blue around the jet black pupils.

"I'm so glad that I met you." Nico gave Kevin a kiss on the end of his nose, his hands trailing over the curve of his back as he prepared to put Kevin down on the bed.

"I love you." Kevin put his feet down on the ground so that he could strip off his clothes, he wasn't in the mood for slow and gentle tonight, he wanted frantic, he wanted quick, he wanted all of Nico's cock even though the sight of it made him wonder if he could take it all.

"I love you too." Nico smiled and waited for Kevin to lay out on the bed before undressing, he only had his shorts and boxers to take off and he took his time doing it, making sure that Kevin watched, his eyes locked on his huge cock.

Kevin reached down to finger himself as Nico gave himself a few strokes, Kevin had left a lot of hints lately about how much he wanted Nico to fuck him, but there had never been the right time, especially with racing.

But now, with Kevin spread out beneath him, breathless moans escaping from his lips as he slid a second finger in, Nico knew that this was the right time, that he trusted Kevin to know his limits, to say stop. He wasn't the eager little kid that he was a year ago, desperate to please him, he was a grown-up who knew what he wanted, and he wasn't afraid to ask for it.

"Are you just going to watch me?" Kevin had the cheekiest grin on his face and Nico couldn't help but grin back. He ducked down to get lube and a condom out of the drawer before settling between Kevin's legs, spreading them wide as he took in the sight of Kevin stretched out, arms behind his head as he waited for Nico to get on with it.

Nico kissed his way along each leg, starting at the ankle and stopping just before he reached his hole, teasing him with his warm breath. Every moan and gasp from Kevin had his cock twitching and he felt like a mixture of excitement and joy, he couldn't wait to see Kevin's face as he was filled, hear the noises he would make, and the rush of knowing that he was going to be the one giving Kevin all that pleasure.  

Kevin let out a little sigh, and Nico made a show of slicking up his fingers, making sure Kevin was watching as he pressed a finger to his hole, waiting for all the little whimpers of frustration to subside before sliding in, feeling Kevin snug around him before he relaxed, taking deep breaths as he adjusted to it all.

"More?" Kevin looked down at him and he looked almost angelic, but his grin bordered on devilish. "Please?" Kevin was biting his lip as Nico slid a second finger in, thrusting gently but Kevin wasn't having any of it, he was rocking his hips so that he could fuck himself on Nico's fingers.

"Impatient aren't we?" Nico added another finger and Kevin let out the most beautiful of moans as he twisted his fingers, brushing against Kevin's prostate as he did it.

Nico had fingered Kevin many times before, but now, it seemed that knowing it was the warm up rather than the main act had made Kevin louder, and more aroused if the amount that his cock was leaking was anything to go by.

Kevin was already tight around his fingers but Nico added some more lube so that he could squeeze another finger in, he knew that his cock wasn't just long, it was thick too, and he needed to make sure that Kevin could take him. As much as he wanted to fuck Kevin, the last thing that he wanted was to hurt him, even if that meant seeing him frown and pout when he didn't get what he wanted.

Nico gently thrust in a fourth finger, Kevin was grasping at the sheets, his knuckles white, but the smile never left his face and once his finger was in, Kevin was back begging for more.  He nudged against that spot a couple of times, making sure that Kevin was on the edge before withdrawing his fingers, which made Kevin gasp at the loss.

The rustle of the foil got Kevin's attention, and the grin on his face as he watched Nico roll the condom on was so big that it looked like his face was going to split.

"Do you want this?" Nico asked, making his cock twitch as he said it.

"Yes." Kevin's voice was already breathless and wracked with need, and Nico leant over him so that he could give him a kiss. Nico gave him one last kiss before lining up with his slick hole.

"I love you." Nico thrust in, just the tip, and Kevin dug his fingernails in where he was gripping Nico's shoulders. "Do you want more?"

"No, I just want you to fuck me with the tip of that glorious cock." Kevin laughed and Nico could feel the vibrations around his cock, Kevin looked beautiful when he laughed.

"You know I would do it, if that was what you wanted." Nico leant in for another kiss, trying not to slide any deeper inside Kevin, not yet, he wanted to give him time to adjust to the stretch.

"I know, and that's why I love you." Kevin kissed the end of Nico's nose, his grin shining out as he wiggled his hips, forcing Nico a little deeper, but from the noises he made, it wasn't enough to satisfy him, not yet.

"I love you too."

"But right now I want your cock and I don't want you to stop until I say so." Kevin let go of Nico's shoulders and let his hands slide down to his arse, grabbing the cheeks so that he could control the pace at which Nico was thrusting into him.

Nico still took it slow, inching his way in as Kevin got louder and louder. He was two thirds of the way in when Kevin said stop, and Nico breathed a sigh of relief, he was sure that there was no way anyone could take all of it on the first try, although if anyone was determined enough, it was Kevin. But Nico was much happier with starting slow, he wanted Kevin to feel nothing but pleasure.

Kevin wrapped his legs around Nico's waist and stared at him, waiting for Nico to make his move. Nico pulled back, listening to Kevin gasp as he thrust back in, taking it slowly, but after just a few thrusts Kevin was begging for more, and Nico couldn't say no to him. He made sure that he wasn't going in too deep, he was glad that he'd kept his glasses on so that he could see how beautiful Kevin looked with a cock in him.

"More." Kevin's words were breathless, but he was only saying 'more' over and over again. Nico changed the angle, it would feel like more to Kevin but he wasn't thrusting any deeper. Kevin was so snug around him and the way that his muscles fluttered as he breathed was arousing, he'd never been with anyone as loud and expressive as Kevin, and Kevin was showing him now that he hadn't heard the half of it.

Nico felt Kevin go rigid, as though he was about to come, but then he started breathing again. He took that as a hint to stroke Kevin's cock, already slick with pre-come from all the teasing, and it wasn't long before warm come was spilling over his hand, Kevin screaming in ecstasy as he gripped Nico's arse, pushing him over the edge into a spectacular orgasm. Nico didn't understand a word but from the smile on his face he loved every second of it.

"Good?" Nico asked, once he had caught his breath. Kevin's smile had a dreamy quality and he looked like he was on the verge of sleep, with Nico still inside him.

"Perfect." Kevin moved so that they were lying face to face, their bodies still joined as he cuddled in against Nico's shoulder, drifting off to sleep without a care in the world and the biggest grin on his face.

Nico whispered how much he loved him over and over again until he was sure that Kevin was fast asleep, and he wondered who he had to thank for sending him an angel like Kevin.

*

The next morning Kevin didn't want to leave, he wanted to stay wrapped up in Nico's arms forever, but he had a flight to catch, and he didn't want to miss it.

"It'll be summer before you know it." Nico got dressed with some reluctance, and Kevin felt bad for dragging him out of bed so early, but at least they could say goodbye at the airport.

Kevin knew that he wouldn't miss Nico for long, he would be too busy with racing, but parting after they'd spent lots of time together was always the hardest. "I hope so, I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too." Nico leant in for a kiss, holding Kevin close, as though they were saying goodbye forever. Even though he knew that they would talk tonight once Kevin was home, and every night after that until they were together again.

The drive to the airport didn't take long, and Kevin rested his hand on Nico's knee for the entire journey, just happy to have Nico close. Nico walked him up to security and there weren't many people around, so Kevin leant in for a hug, and Nico held him tight.

"I'm going to miss you shorty." Nico gave him a kiss on the forehead, and Kevin knew how to get his revenge, he pulled on the cords of Nico's hoodie, dragging him down to his height before kissing him. It was a chaste kiss, but it was their first kiss anywhere public, and it felt nice just to have something as simple and comforting as a goodbye kiss.

The entire journey home Kevin had the biggest grin on his face, and he hoped that the next few months would be kind to him so that he could rush back to Nico.


	15. Photograph - 2013

Kevin was trying to work out what he should take to Monaco, he was hoping that he wouldn't need too many clothes for his time with Nico, but he was going to have to take some, even if he was planning a lot of time in bed wearing nothing at all.

"Sweetie, have you got everything packed?" Britt poked her head around the door and Kevin shrugged at the pile of clothes that he had scattered all over his bed.

"I can't decide." Kevin sat down on his bed and his mum joined him, looking through all the things that he'd already taken out.

"This shirt looks nice on you." Britt sat it on top of the suitcase before looking through the rest of the things. She picked out a few t-shirts, and a couple of pairs of jeans.

By the end of it Kevin had enough clothes for five days, and chance to relax before he headed to the airport in the evening.

"How are things with Nico?" Britt asked, and Kevin wasn't sure how much to tell her, he'd been keeping her updated at first, but lately there hadn't been much to add, so he'd not really said much.

"It's all good. We don't get much time together, but when we do it's nice, relaxed." Kevin reached out to give his mum a hug, and she kissed him on the cheek, he was sure that if she could see them together she would understand. And that was when he had an idea. "Would it be okay if Nico spent Christmas with us?"

"Doesn't he spend it with his family?" Britt asked, and Kevin shook his head. She wasn't surprised by that, although she couldn't believe that they wouldn't accept their own son, it was unimaginable to her.

"No, he usually spends it with friends, or alone." Kevin knew that asking if he could spend Christmas with Nico would be worse, the thought of leaving his mum alone, even though she had other family, was unbearable.

"Of course sweetie, but I can't hide all the things from that summer."

Kevin's heart raced, he'd forgotten all about that. Now that he had Nico in his life, all those years of longing and pining were fading away, replaced by all the happy memories that they had together. He hadn't thought about that summer in a while, but his mum was right, he was going to have to talk to Nico about it before he saw the photos that they had dotted around the place. There were none of Alex, not after Kevin had visited Germany, but there were still a few of Nico, so young and carefree, although knowing what he did now, that probably wasn't true.

"I'll talk to him, it was so long ago, nothing more than a quirk of fate."

***

Nico had come to pick Kevin up from the airport, and Kevin had to resist the urge to run up to him, to hug him and hold him tight. But he was going to have nearly a whole week to do what he wanted with Nico, so he could control himself for a little while.

"How was your flight?" Nico asked, standing close to Kevin so that their arms touched, the closest they were getting to physical affection in the crowded airport.

"Good. And everything's better now that I'm here with you." Kevin grinned at how cheesy his words were, but he meant it all, just being close to Nico made everything seem perfect.

Nico's smile spoke volumes but it wasn't until they were in the car that Nico said the words Kevin had been waiting to hear. "I love you."

"I love you too." Kevin leant across to give Nico a quick kiss, although they were in the car it was still far more public than they were used to, although they were taking little steps towards making their relationship a bit more open. But they didn't want to be outed, they wanted it to be something that they were in control of, and with that thought Kevin broke the kiss. "Later?"

"Later," Nico said with a smile.

*

Later had turned out to be after food, a movie, some more food, and a shower, but Kevin was happy just to spend time together.

By the time they were curled up in bed, big smiles on their face and still floating on the high of their orgasms, Kevin had forgotten that he was going to talk to Nico. It could wait, he had plenty of time before Christmas, and he was sure that it would be fine.

Kevin was looking forward to it, they could reminisce, and he could tell him how he watched his career over the years, how he rooted for him.

It would be nice.

***

A couple of days passed, Kevin was lying in the bath, Nico sitting next to him on the bathroom floor when Kevin remembered that he'd found a book in a second hand store, another autobiography that he thought Nico would like.

"I got you a gift," Kevin said, and Nico smiled, "A book. It's in my bag, but I didn't have time to wrap it."

"That's sweet of you." Nico leant in for a kiss, soft and slow. It seemed like they never quite got to spend his birthday together, it was too close to the end of the summer break, but just having Kevin around was the best gift that he could hope for.

Nico wandered off to get the book, but never returned, and after a little while Kevin wondered where he got to. Had he fallen asleep? They'd not really got a routine going since they'd not strayed far from the flat at all during the last few days.

In the end Kevin got out of the bath, wrapping himself in a thin dressing gown before wandering through to the bedroom. He expected to see Nico asleep, or eating, but he was just sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a photograph.

Kevin rushed closer, but he froze when he saw which photo he was holding. It was the photo that Kevin had carried with him for the last ten years, the one of Nico from that summer, so young and chubby cheeked.

Nico looked sad, confused, and Kevin wanted to explain but he wasn't sure that the truth made it any less painful. No matter how he looked at it, he should have told Nico, should have reminded him, but there had never been a right time.

"How did you get this?" Nico didn't sound angry, just sad, and it broke Kevin's heart to hear him like that.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you."

"Did you go behind my back and talk to my parents?" Nico's hands were shaking and Kevin wanted to comfort him, but he was sure that he would only make things worse.

"No."

"So where did you get it from?" Nico was staring at him now, his eyes cold as he bit at his lip. "It's not from a race weekend."

Kevin felt a tear run down his cheek, he'd ruined everything and he was all alone in Monaco with nowhere to go.

"I told you that my parents were awful people and that I wanted nothing to do with them." Nico threw the photo to the ground, and Kevin couldn't stop the tears from flowing,

"I know that. It's not from them." Kevin looked down at his feet, he just had to tell Nico and then they could pick up the pieces. "You and Alex, you were on a foreign exchange and you came to stay with me. My mum took that photo, you were so happy then."

Nico's mouth hung open, it felt like time had slowed and they were going to end up forever frozen in this moment, trapped in the pain of his own mistakes.

"So you've been following me for all those years?" Nico's face was twisted in confusion, but Kevin could already see what he was thinking. "Have you been stalking me?"

Kevin shook his head but Nico was still waiting for an answer. The emotion was bubbling over and Kevin ended up screaming, "No!"

He turned before Nico could say anything, grabbing a pair of jeans and walking out into the cool evening air. Kevin wasn't sure why he'd left, he didn't have anywhere to go but he'd just needed to get out of there.

In the end he thought of one place that he could go, but he wasn't sure if they'd be happy to see him.

*

A woman answered the door and Kevin wondered if he'd got the right place, he'd only been here once before and it had been daylight then. She looked confused, but then he heard Paul's soft voice approaching.

"I didn't know where else to go," Kevin said, tears still falling down his face.

"Come in." Paul ushered him into the flat and Laura disappeared off to the kitchen, returning with three cups of coffee.

Paul sat next to him on the sofa, not saying a word as Kevin sipped at the warm drink, collecting himself so that he could talk without crying.

"When I was ten, Nico and his brother Alex came to stay with me, as part of a foreign exchange programme."

"I didn't know that he had a brother," Paul said, he was thinking out loud, and although Laura frowned, Kevin didn't mind. He felt strange that Paul didn't even know that Nico had a brother, although he never talked about his family, so that wasn't really a surprise.

"Yeah, Alex, he's my age, but they don't talk anymore." Kevin fidgeted with the cord of the dressing gown, he hadn't thought to pick up a hoodie, but at least he'd put on some trainers.

"Oh." Paul looked at Laura, and she nodded before making herself scarce, although it wouldn't have surprised Kevin if she was off to phone Nico, they had seemed quite friendly.

"By the time I saw Nico again nine years had passed and he didn't remember, so I never brought it up. He doesn't talk about his childhood, and I didn't want to bring up bad memories."

Kevin couldn't stop his hands shaking and he put the coffee down, he didn't want to spill it on the beige carpet, there had been enough to feel bad about this evening without adding to the list.

"I can't believe that I've messed everything up." Kevin let out a sob, and Paul moved closer so that he could hold him.

"You haven't. Nico just needs some time and then you can talk about it, move on." Paul held him while he cried his eyes out, it had been so long since he had felt this bad. Kevin had never expected to feel this way, he couldn't have imagined that power that his relationship with Nico would hold over him, that his happiness would be linked to Nico's in every way.

He wanted to say that that happiness didn't cancel out the sadness, but he knew it wasn't true. Even if he'd known in advance that he would have all this pain, he would have still chosen to do everything the same way so that he could have one glorious year with Nico.

"It's all going to be okay," Paul said, and Kevin wondered how he could be so sure, but then he remembered the reason that Nico and Paul had ended up a thing in the first place. He nodded, unable to speak without his voice breaking, but maybe some time apart would be for the best, he could go home and gather his thoughts.

There was a knock on the door and Kevin jumped, it was quite late, which meant there was probably only person who would be calling this late. Nico.

"He's in the living room," Kevin heard Paul say, and Kevin felt conflicted, he didn't know how Nico was going to react, which worried him, but at the same time he wanted everything smoothed over so that he could put it all behind him.

Nico wandered in, his eyes puffy with tears and Kevin felt awful. He waited for Nico to come and sit down next to him before saying anything.

"I should have told you, I'm sorry. It just didn't seem to matter." Kevin wanted to curl into Nico but there was something about his body language that was still guarded, keeping his distance even though there were only inches between them.

"Letting people in is difficult for me, I like to keep everyone at a distance." Nico reached out to wrap his arms around Kevin and he cuddled in, glad that he could have Nico close. "Everyone except you."

Kevin went to speak but Nico pressed a finger to his lips, and Kevin kissed at the tip of it. Relief washed over him as he saw Nico let out a little smile and that was enough for now.

"I was so happy that summer, free of my parents, free of expectations. Happy just to be a teenager again. But then everything happened with you and Alex, and it was never spoken of again. The memories faded away, along with everything else to do with my family and my childhood."

Kevin couldn't imagine what that was like, to have to block out his entire childhood just so that he could get on with his life. It sounded so lonely.

Nico took a deep breath and Kevin could feel the tears streaming down his face, splashing against his cheek as they fell. "Having you made me happy again, I felt like a teenager in love for the first time, and I was in a way, I'd never felt that kind of love before."

"I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Kevin wasn't sure where all the certainty was coming from, but it was how he felt, and he just needed Nico to know that. "If you want me, that is."

Kevin held his breath, he wasn't sure why he said it, but he wanted some confirmation from Nico that their relationship had a future.

"Always and forever." Nico leant in for a kiss, it was soft and unrushed, a promise of sorts. That no matter what happened, that they were strong enough to survive it.

***

The rest of the holiday was spent lying out on the beach, Kevin telling Nico everything about his nine year crush on him, and Nico smiled for the entire time. Not just because he had Kevin close, or because there was a basket filled with food and treats, but because he realised that even in his darkest times, there had been someone who cared for him, someone who loved him, even if he hadn't known about it at the time.


	16. Family - 2013

"Happy Birthday my love," Nico's voice sounded distant and far away, which he was, all the way across the other side of the globe in South Korea. He'd failed to get the Skype to work and had resorted to calling Kevin, but it wasn't a great connection.

"Thank you." Kevin blushed, even though the quality was low, just the sound of Nico's voice made everything better.

"Did you get your gift?" Nico asked, and Kevin smiled, he was sitting with a small padded envelope that had Nico's familiar handwriting on it.

"Yes, but I haven't opened it yet."

Nico laughed and Kevin felt his grin get bigger, he tore open the packet and inside was a DVD, wrapped in beautiful paper, Nico really did have an eye for pretty things.

Kevin carefully unpicked the wrapping paper, it was too nice to tear apart, and it revealed a film that he'd wanted to see some time ago, but that he'd missed at the cinema – _Looper_.

"Thank you babe." Kevin kissed the receiver and he heard Nico give him a kiss back.

"I'm not sure it's your mum's kind of film," Nico said, but Kevin only laughed.

"Mum loves action, and horror, so I'm sure that she'll enjoy it too."

They chatted for a little longer but Nico had to go to sleep, he was going to be up early for the race tomorrow.

"You'll be able to hear me screaming from here." Kevin wished that he could be there, and he was working on making that happen for next year, things were starting to fall into place. Although it was too early to be celebrating just yet, he had a really good feeling about it.

Nico laughed, Kevin knew that he was loud, but he didn't care, because he loved Nico, and he was happy to let him know that.

"I love you."

"I love you too. Sweet dreams." Kevin waited for Nico to hang up, smile still on his face as the smell of cake filled the house, and he wondered what it would be like to spend his birthday with Nico.

***

Kevin was champion, and after all the celebrating with Stoffel, who he'd become quite good friends with, he was finally back at the hotel.

He tried to focus on his phone, the alcohol making him dizzy and uncoordinated, but he managed to find Nico's name in his list of contacts, stored under babe, and he hit the button to call him.

"Congratulations angel," Nico said, his voice booming out of the tiny speaker and Kevin felt the room stop spinning. It had been a while since he'd drunk that much and he wasn't sure that it was the best idea right now, but at least he would get a chance to sleep it off since his flight wasn't until tomorrow afternoon.

"Thank you. For everything, and all the support. I love you so, so, much." Kevin felt the room spin now that he'd laid back on the bed and it seemed that it was gaining speed.

Nico was laughing and Kevin felt the bile rise in his throat, he dashed to the bathroom, glad that it was a small hotel room. He dropped his phone on the floor as he hunched over the toilet, retching until his stomach was empty and his throat was sore.

Kevin looked at the phone sat next to the toilet and blushed, Nico had heard everything.

"Sorry." Kevin had only ever had the odd beer around Nico, so he'd never got into this much of a state around him, and he'd thankfully never been ill while he was visiting Nico either, although they got so little time together that the odds of that happening were slim, especially when they both did their absolute best to stay healthy.

"Feeling better?" Nico asked, and there was no mocking, only concern.

"Yes. Champagne, beer and Jägerbombs do not mix." Kevin felt sick thinking of everything that he'd drunk that night, and it was probably best that he'd got rid of it all.

"Oh my angel, I wish I was there to hold you."

"I wish you were here too."

"Make sure you drink plenty of water before you sleep," Nico said, he seemed stuck in big brother mode and Kevin was glad that he had someone sensible in his life. Not that his mum wasn't sensible, but he wasn't sure that she'd be too chuffed at the state of him right now, although she would take care of him.

"Would you like to spend Christmas with me?" Kevin asked, he hadn't meant it to sound so spur of the moment, he'd planned on asking Nico during the summer but then it had all got away from him, and although it was still a couple of months away, Kevin couldn't think of a better gift than having Nico with him for the holidays.

"I'd love that," Nico said, and Kevin could hear the smile. Last year he'd felt bad that Nico was all alone, but it was just too soon to be inviting him for Christmas.

"I think I should sleep. I love you."

"Night my love, sweet dreams."

***

Sergio was sitting on Nico's sofa, they were catching up before the last race of the season, Monaco had seemed as good a place as any to break up their journey from Abu Dhabi to the USA.

"McLaren are dropping me," Sergio said, and Nico choked on his coffee, wondering how he could have missed that.

"I'm sorry, Checo." Nico offered him another biscuit, which he accepted, and Nico was thankful for that as he was in danger of eating all the biscuits himself.

"You won't be when you hear who's getting my seat." Sergio raised an eyebrow and Nico looked confused.

"Paul?" He'd mentioned to Nico that he wasn't sure that Force India were going to keep him, and McLaren would be a nice step up. Although he wasn't the only one worrying about where he was going to be driving next year.

"Nope. Want to guess again?" Sergio was grinning now, enjoying teasing Nico as he munched on his biscuit.

"Me?" Nico pointed at himself, just in case it was unclear which 'me' he meant.

"No." Sergio leant back in his seat and shook his head. "They're replacing me with a rookie."

And then it dawned on Nico, he knew a rookie, with links to McLaren, that had been trying really hard to get a drive in Formula one. "Kevin."

"Yep."

"You'll find something, I know it." Nico would have normally gone in for a hug, but he wasn't sure if this made things strange between them now, although it wasn't his decision, or even Kevin's, but all the people higher up in McLaren who had chosen this.

"I've got a few options. It looks like we might be teammates." Sergio sipped at his coffee as Nico let all that sink in.

"Oh." Nico wasn't sure what to think of all that. He was going back to Force India after a year struggling along with Sauber, and he was taking Adrian's seat, but if Sergio was going to be there too, then that mean that there was going to be one unhappy Scot without a drive. Unless Paul had a back-up plan that he'd failed to mention in conversation.

"Nothing's finalised, but it looks like that's the way it's going." Sergio slurped down the last of his coffee as Nico did the same. "Think you can keep a secret?"

***

"I'm off to DTM next year," Paul said, and Nico wondered if he'd be so calm about it if he knew that Kevin had set in motion all the driver changes, although if it wasn't Kevin it would have been one of McLaren's other junior drivers, they seemed to be collecting them.

"You'll have a chance at being champion there," Nico said, it was meant to be a joke, but there was a lot of truth behind it. He knew that he would never win the championship in a midfield team, and there didn't seem to be a lot of seats free at the top.

Plus, with half the race weekends, it would leave him a lot more time for other things, including marriage and kids, which seemed to crop up in conversation a lot more lately.

"It's going to be good. A new challenge." Paul grinned as he wolfed down a doughnut. "And I'll be able to eat again."

Nico let out a groan, he was practically drooling at the way Paul licked his fingers clean, and if it wasn't so public he'd have licked them clean for him, although he was sure that Laura would have something to say about that. And Kevin.

Nico could have laughed out loud at the fact that he'd been waiting nearly two years to see Kevin in Formula one with him, and now that the time had come, it was causing chaos for his friends, although Paul and Sergio both seemed happy with their fate, so Nico was happy for them. He was so proud of Kevin, he'd worked so hard and he was finally getting his chance.

***

Christmas came round so quickly that it wasn't until Kevin was in the car, on the way to the airport that it all sank in. He was champion. He was going to be driving his own F1 car next year. And Nico was spending Christmas with him.

Kevin had never felt so happy, so excited, and he knew that once the new season started it was only going to get better. Plus, he was going to be racing against Nico, no more waiting months to see each other again, they were going to get so much more time together and it was going to be amazing.

It seemed strange to think that Nico had been his boyfriend for over a year and a half and it felt like he'd known him all his life, although that was kind of true. Kevin was glad all of that was out in the open, it had made everything easier, and now he didn't have to worry about hiding any more. Well, not that anyway. It would be a long time before he could be open about his relationship with Nico, but he was happy with the way that it was, he didn't need the whole world to know, not yet.

The airport was busy, but luckily it was easy to spot Nico over the crowds. He rushed up for a hug, holding him tight before pulling back abruptly, as though he was afraid of someone seeing them. Even dressed in his casual clothes there was still a chance that Nico could be recognised, although away from a race weekend, and outside his home town, Nico had told him that it very rarely happened.

"I've missed you," Nico whispered, and Kevin nuzzled against him, there were far too many people around, but thankfully it wasn't a long walk to the car park.

Once they were in the car they could share a proper kiss, Kevin ending up on Nico's lap in the passenger seat as they made up for all the time that they'd spent apart.

"My mum's at work all day." Kevin smiled as he slinked back into the driver's seat and shot Nico a wink, his lips still plump and moist. He looked like perfection and the way that he fidgeted with his glasses sent Kevin's heart into overdrive.

Kevin drove as fast as he could without breaking any laws the whole way home, and there was no talk of what they should do first. The second that they were in the door, Kevin led Nico to him bedroom, almost unchanged from the time that Nico saw it over ten years ago.

Nico sat down on the bed next to Kevin and he felt like he was a teenager again, transported back to that summer when he was carefree. Nico wondered if this was how everyone felt with their first love, that squishy feeling, the burning desire to be with them, to hear their voice, to do anything just to see them smile.

Kevin brushed a stray strand of hair back from Nico's perfect mane, and Nico came back to reality, lost in Kevin's eyes as he leant in for a kiss. It wasn't frantic, they had weeks together and now that there was no rush, Nico planned to take his time, wrap himself up in gentle kisses and lazy mornings in bed.

*

Nico woke up from his nap, Kevin cuddled into him and his glasses pressed into his nose in such a way that it felt like the nose pads were trying to cut him. They'd fallen asleep while making out, and Nico hadn't thought to take his glasses off when they started to doze.

He sat up and rubbed his face, trying to sort his glasses so that they didn't hurt as much. His arm was numb and he slipped it out from under Kevin who stirred but didn't wake. Nico gave him a quick kiss on the forehead before wandering to the bathroom.

Nico stumbled out of the bathroom and he froze in fright when he saw that Britt was standing in the hall. She didn't look much older than the last time that he had seen her, a few wisps of grey in her long brown hair, and a few more lines, a reminder of every smile. It said that she had lived a good life, filled with happiness.

"You've got so tall." Britt said, and she rushed in to hug him. Her perfume was delicate, and he realised that all these years, every time he smelt something similar, the light citrus with hints of something floral, it had made him very happy without understanding why.

Nico bit his lip as he felt the tears welling up, he hadn't expected to feel this way, as though he was home. For the first time in a long time he felt like he had a family again, and that was the most wonderful thing in the world.

"It's so good to see you again," Nico said, and Britt stepped back so that she could get a good look at him. Nico couldn't keep the smile off his face and the way Britt looked at him made him feel like he was her son. He'd never felt this way about his own mum, and he had never realised that anyone else would ever be able to fill that role for him, but he was glad that he had someone like Britt in his life.

"I brought some cake home, would you like some?" Britt asked, "We can catch up over coffee."

Nico smiled, and they crept downstairs so that they didn't wake Kevin. Britt unwrapped the cake and sliced it up while Nico made the coffee. Once they were comfy in the living room Nico told her how he met Kevin, again, and how when he saw that smile he knew that he was in love.

"That summer he followed you around like a puppy, so happy just to be near you." Britt sipped at her coffee as she watched Nico blush.

"I had no idea, I was just so glad to be away from home, to be free." Nico couldn't look up from his plate, he wasn't sure what Kevin would have told her about his family, although the fact that he was here for Christmas rather than home with them spoke volumes.

"I'm sorry, honey," Britt said, and there was sadness in her voice, "Kevin told me what happened when he visited your family."

"They never told me, not really, and Kevin's never talked about it." Nico had got little glimpses, but he'd never heard the whole story. And it hadn't been mentioned by his family, although he was sure that he wouldn't have got the truth from his parents.

Britt took another sip of her coffee and Nico shook his head, he didn't want to think about his family, his past, he just wanted to enjoy his holiday. "It's all in the past. All that matters now is the future."

"That's very wise of you," Britt said as she slid another slice of cake towards Nico. "But you know if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you."

"Thank you." Nico reached out so that he could rest his hand on Britt's and he knew then that he was home. That this was his family.

They chatted away, Nico telling Britt all about Sergio, and a few select details about Paul. Britt was such a good listener and Nico felt years younger by the end of it, although just being near Kevin made him feel like a teenager again.

There was one slice of cake left when Kevin wandered in, wrapped up in Nico's hoodie as the temperature had dropped since the sun had set. Kevin curled up next to him, letting Nico wrap his warm body around him and cuddling in before letting out with a yawn.

"Sleep well?" Nico asked, and Kevin nodded. "We left you some cake."

"I love you," Kevin said, and Nico handed him the cake, watching as he savoured every bit of it before offering Nico the last bite, which he tried to refuse, but Kevin wouldn't take no for an answer.

It was all so relaxed, so easy, that Nico felt a weight lift from his shoulders as the evening wore on. Britt's cooking was amazing and it was nice to have someone else cook for him, Kevin's skills in the kitchen were slowly improving, but he wasn't quite as good as his mum, not yet.

They both did the dishes, Kevin splashing the bubbles at Nico as he dried the plates, it all felt so serenely normal, and Nico knew then what he wanted for Christmas. Kevin to move in with him, so that they could have this all the time.

***

Nico woke up with Kevin in his arms, and the house was eerily quiet, Britt must have already headed to work. He leant over to look at the little clock at the side of Kevin's bed and saw that it was gone ten o'clock, although the was no sign that the sun had made it over the horizon yet.

Kevin rolled over so that he could give Nico a kiss, it started as a peck on the cheek but Nico felt Kevin's hard cock press against his thigh, trailing pre-come, and he couldn't help but deepen the kiss. He ate up every gasp and moan as Kevin arched his body, seeking out more friction as his hands wandered round to Nico's perfect ass, his fingers trailing down the crack.

"More," Nico said, and Kevin let out a sigh as he kissed his way down the side of Nico's neck, turning him over as he did it so that Nico was lying on his front as Kevin continued kissing his way down Nico's back, pausing as he spread Nico's cheeks so that he could tease him by just breathing.

Nico squirmed on the bed, arching his ass up as little whimpers escaped his lips and he buried his face in the pillow to muffle the noise.

"Don't cover your mouth, let me hear how good it is." Kevin ducked down to lick into Nico's hole and he let out the most pornographic of moans.

Nico's knuckles were white as he grasped at the pillow, each moan louder than the last as Kevin's tongue teased round the edge of his hole, getting more forceful but never quite dipping in, leaving him frustrated as he screamed out for more.

Kevin grinned and even though Nico couldn't see it he could feel it, and that was when Kevin decided to slide a finger in, heading straight for that spot and causing Nico to groan out loud. He tried to arch his back so that he could get more but Kevin was moving his finger in such a way that he was in control and Nico let out a sigh with how hot it was to have Kevin in charge. Kevin was moving his finger in small circles, licking at his hole in time with it as Nico writhed on the bed.

"You feel so good," Kevin said, his voice all breathless and Nico was sure that he could come just from the sound of him. He rubbed against the bed but it wasn't enough, he wanted to be filled and he didn't want to wait any more.

"I want you." Nico gasped in pleasure as Kevin slid another finger in, twisting them gently as Nico felt pleasure spread through his body, his muscles fluttering as he took a deep breath so that he wouldn't come. Not yet. He wanted all of the slow teasing, Kevin seemed to be a natural at keeping him on the edge, letting him get close but always backing away just as he was on the brink of orgasm.

Nico hissed as Kevin withdrew his fingers, his hole quivering as it waited to be filled again and the sound of Kevin rooting around for a condom was far sexier than it had any right to be, his little breathless gasps filling the room as he tore open the foil packed and the sound of rubber snapping on over his nice thick cock sent shivers of pleasure through Nico's body.

He writhed on the bed, not caring that he was leaving a damp patch as Kevin knelt behind him, the bed dipping and depriving him of something to rub his hard cock against, but all the frustration was replaced by sheer pleasure as Kevin pushed in. Nico bit his lip as the tip thrust in, but once he'd adjusted to the stretch he was gripping the sheets and screaming for more.

Kevin ducked down so that he could kiss at Nico's shoulder, and Nico twisted his head round so that their lips could meet, which forced Kevin deeper inside him and it felt like perfection with their bodies joined together.

"I love you so much," Kevin said, his voice strained with the effort of it all, Nico could feel that he was trying not to come, and he knew what he could do to tip him over the edge. Nico circled his hips, allowing his cock to grind against the bed as he made sure that Kevin was hitting that spot with each thrust.

It didn't take long to have him shuddering and gasping through his orgasm as he clenched around Kevin, he felt so thick as his muscles gripped him tight and with that Kevin was screaming out in Danish, words that were lost on Nico but he didn't need a translation for the way that his body went limp, their sweaty bodies pressed together as they both lay sated and content. Nico was so glad that he had a sex god in training as his boyfriend, Kevin was a natural when it came to sex.

"Oh god, you're amazing." Nico reached up to hold Kevin's hand, kissing the back of it as he heard Kevin whisper sweet nothings as they both regained their breath.

"You're the man of my dreams," Kevin said, and Nico knew that he meant every word of it, that he'd been the one that he dreamt of for all these years. Nico was sure that Kevin must have had a guardian angel watching over him, because now, with an F1 drive lined up, it seemed like someone was making all his dreams come true.

***

Christmas day rolled around in a haze of good food and lazy days cuddled up on the sofa. Britt looked nothing but proud of her son and how happy Nico made him, and it all felt so relaxed.

Nico had got Britt a present, a nice jumper that he'd picked up on his travels, and she admired it with a smile on her face before putting it on, which made Nico far happier than he'd ever thought possible. It was strange to see someone grateful for a gift, and it brought a smile to his face.

Kevin opened the present from his mum, it was a small box, and inside was a small photo frame with a picture of Kevin and his mum in it. "Just so you don't forget about me while you're travelling around the world." Britt laughed and went in for a hug, holding her little boy tight.

"I will call you every day." Kevin smiled and admired the photo, Nico knew how much family meant to him, it was why he was honoured to be his boyfriend, he knew how much trust that Kevin had placed him, how long he'd waited for fate to bring them back together, and his love for Nico had never faded.

He felt a stab of guilt when he handed Kevin's gift over to him, he was going to take Kevin even farther away from his mum, but he couldn't imagine anything better than having Kevin live with him.

Kevin looked at the small box, and he bit his lip as he glanced up at Nico, waiting for him to nod before opening it. He gasped when he saw the key, and he sat in silence for so long that Nico was starting to worry.

"I'd like you to move in with me, if you want to." Nico felt his heart race, maybe he should have waited until they were alone to ask? Maybe he should have put out some feelers first before just surprising him with it?

Nico looked at Kevin, waiting for him to say something, anything, and just when he thought that it was too much, that he'd scared Kevin off, he spoke. "Of course I want to."

Kevin leapt in for a hug and Britt gave them her congratulations, and Nico didn't hear any disappointment in her voice, only love and affection. The tears were falling down his cheeks, showing his joy to the world, as he held Kevin tight, and he felt like everything was perfect with his life.


	17. Together - 2014

Nico stared at the suitcases that were sitting in his bedroom, waiting for Kevin to arrive and unpack them. He'd brought them back with him after spending Christmas with Kevin and his mum, leaving Kevin to enjoy his last couple of weeks at home before moving to Monaco.

Britt had politely declined the offer to come with Kevin when he moved in, saying that she would come visit once he was settled, although Nico wouldn't have minded either way. It had been lovely to spend Christmas with them, and she'd made him feel at home, which was something he had never really experienced before.

He was going to pick Kevin up from the airport, although they were going to have to behave in public now that Kevin was racing in Formula One. Not that seeing drivers in Nice airport was a strange sight, so many of them lived in Monaco and it was the closest airport, but there would be no more sneaky kisses, no hands brushing together, and no loving stares.

That was going to be hard at the races this year, Nico was sure that his eyes lit up every time that he saw Kevin. It was easier for Kevin to hide, he always had the most angelic smile on his face, and that meant that it wasn't as obvious that he was in love just by looking at him.

*

Once they were back from the airport Kevin went in for a kiss and ended up straddling Nico on the sofa, but Nico broke the kiss, flinching when he saw the confusion on Kevin's face.

Nico rested his forehead against Kevin's, stroking the side of his face as he felt him relax.

"I wanted to talk about this year." Nico took a deep breath and Kevin slipped off his lap so that he was sitting next to him, never letting go of his hand, his big blue eyes staring at him as Nico tried to work out what he wanted to say.

"I know we're not out, and… I don't want to be out, not while I'm still trying to get my career off the ground," Kevin said, pulling Nico closer so that he could place a kiss on his forehead.

Nico wondered how Kevin could be so young and yet so mature, and then he remembered that he had Britt looking out for him for all these years, teaching him love and compassion. He was meant to be the one comforting Kevin, but he was glad that one of them had the skills to lead them through all the difficulties in their relationship.

"You know I'm not ashamed of you, or our relationship, but it's complicated," Nico said, and he cuddled in closer to Kevin. He really wished that things were simpler for them but he was a realist, and he knew that for now, keeping their relationship private would be best for both of them.

"As long as you know that I love you, then that's all that matters to me." Kevin smiled, and Nico felt that all was right with the world, now that he had Kevin by his side.

That evening they made love, leaving the unpacking for another time. Although they were going to get to spend a lot more time together this year, quality time where they could just be themselves was going to be just as rare.

***

Kevin woke to the sunlight on his face, and it took him a moment to remember where he was. He rolled over to see Nico sleeping, his hair perfect and the smile on his face was even better since Kevin knew he was the one responsible for it.

Nico stretched but he didn't wake, and Kevin slunk out of the bed so that he could head to the bathroom. When he returned, Nico was gone and Kevin wandered around the flat naked until he found Nico in the kitchen, equally naked, and searching through the cupboards.

"Morning sexy." Kevin leant against a counter as he admired the view of Nico on all fours, it was the same view that he'd had last night, and just the thought of it had his cock twitching.

"Morning." There was a little sigh and Kevin felt his smile waver, Nico didn't sound happy, and he didn't like it one bit.

"What's wrong?"

Nico held up an empty box, and looked at it with a pout on his face. "I'm out of my emergency chocolates."

Kevin thought back to the gift that his mum had given him before he left, and he dashed through to the bedroom, rooting through his rucksack until he found the small cook book. He flicked through until he saw the thing that had caught his eye when he was reading it on the plane – mug cakes.

It seemed so easy to make that even he could manage it.

"I'm going to make you a cake." Kevin rushed in for a hug, and Nico had the most beautiful smile on his face.

Kevin had the most focused look on his face, his brow furrowed in concentration as he found out all the ingredients, and he had to use all his tactics to stop Nico eating the sugar with a spoon.

Several kisses later, it was all mixed together and he placed it in the microwave, marvelling at how clean it was. Nico's place was immaculate, and Kevin wasn't sure that he'd be able to keep the place anywhere near as tidy as Nico did. Kevin wasn't a slob, he liked things tidy, but he and Nico had very different definitions of the word clean.

The microwave was buzzing away as Kevin stood on his tiptoes to kiss Nico, when there was a bang.

Kevin jumped back to see that the cake mug had exploded all over the microwave and Nico was pulling a funny face.

_Was he going to be angry that Kevin had made a mess of his pristine kitchen?_

"I really wanted that cake," Nico said, his face in a pout and Kevin opened the microwave to the most wonderful smell of chocolatey cake, and a sticky mess everywhere.

Nico used his finger to scoop up some of the mixture, and the way that he sucked on his finger had Kevin's heart racing.

"Taste good?" Kevin kissed a bit of cake off his lips and if it wasn't for the whole exploding thing it would have been amazing.

"Perfect." Nico's eyes were unfocused as he licked his finger clean and Kevin wanted to drag him back to bed, but then his stomach rumbled. "I know a quiet little place that we can get breakfast."

Kevin laughed, but if Nico was craving something sweet he would have to indulge it before there was any talk of unpacking.

Nico was a flurry of activity as he got dressed, and Kevin smiled to himself that Nico got dressed for food and undressed for sex in much the same efficient manner. And both of which left him with a grin on his face.

They walked down to the Café du Paris, where they had their first date, and Kevin felt a surge of happiness. This was the first time that Kevin had been back there since then, and it made it all feel magical. When he had walked through the door nearly two years ago he could never have imagined that Nico would be his blind date, or that the sparks would fly the second that they saw each other, even if Nico didn't remember that they'd met before.

Nico ate his pastry with the biggest grin on his face, his long legs reaching out under the table so that they could brush against Kevin's which only made them both grin even more.

Kevin was giggling as he sipped at his coffee, glad just to see Nico so happy, and he knew that all his apprehension about moving in with Nico was nothing more than nerves. This was all that he wanted, for the rest of his life.

*

"I think that this should go here," Nico said, and Kevin smiled, it was a picture of his dad and his half siblings from when they'd visited last year. It made the place feel more like home, not that Nico hadn't done everything that he could to make Kevin feel welcome.

Kevin had unpacked everything else, the clothes and films had been easy to put away, but there was one last thing that he needed to find a home for.

He found out the photo, he'd made the frame himself, it had given him something to do while he was counting down the days until he got to live with Nico. It was the photo that he had carried with him all these years, slightly frayed around the edges, but that only made it more special, a reminder of how strong his love for Nico was.

"Where should we put it?" Kevin asked, and Nico ran his fingers over the edge of the frame as he bit his lip, his smile growing as he went in for a kiss.

Nico took Kevin's hand, leading him to the bedroom as Kevin wondered what he had on his mind. He looked focused, and he sat down on the edge of the bed, opening the drawer on the bedside cabinet to reveal a framed photo of them both, from the first time that Kevin had visited Monaco.

Kevin had never known Nico to have anything on the bedside table apart from the lamp and the alarm, which meant that he must have kept that in there all the time, close by while he slept.

Nico arranged it so that it stood behind the alarm, before doing the same with the one that Kevin was holding. "I think they look perfect just there."

Kevin rushed in for a kiss, so glad that he could call this place home, and honoured that Nico wanted to share his life with him.

***

Australia came round quickly, even though both their factories were in Britain, it appeared that they were never there at the same time, which meant a lot of time at home, alone, in Monaco. Kevin had even gone home for a few days when he knew that Nico would be in Britain.

Paul had been checking up on him when Nico was away, and he had said that he could drop round any time, but Kevin still missed Nico.

He'd thought that living together would have meant that they got to see more of each other, but it didn't feel that way. Now that Kevin was in Formula one he realised how much time it took up. It wasn't just the fact that there were more races, or he was expected to do more days at the factory, but the endless media commitments that really ate up his time. Although if he was still living with his mum that would have meant even less time together.

But now that he was looking over Albert Park, it was all worth it. Every long flight, every morning that he'd had to wake up without Nico, every lonely night, all worth it because he was going to be racing in Formula one.

He'd dreamed of this for so long that he couldn't believe he was finally here, and with Nico holding by his side it was perfection.

*

Kevin was on the phone to Nico, even though their hotels were only ten minutes apart, there was no way to sneak out and see each other. There were too many managers and assistants to lie to, and there were so many reporters and photographers around.

"You did so well in quali," Nico said, "I'm so proud of you."

Kevin grinned, fourth was more than he could ever have imagined, and he wasn't sure if Nico would be happy for him, since he'd out-qualified him. Although seventh was still a decent position for Nico, and he was sure that he'd make good use of it in the race.

"I wish that the race was now, the waiting is killing me." Kevin rolled on his bed, he was so full of energy and he knew what he wanted to do to burn it off.

"You need to get a good night's sleep first." Nico made a kiss sound and Kevin blew him a kiss back.

"I know, but I'd sleep better if you were here." Kevin found himself missing not the sex, although he wouldn't have said no to it, but the simple comfort of having Nico close by, and he realised that he had one of Nico's hoodies that he could curl up in.

He made himself comfy, Nico's scent wrapped around him and he ended up falling asleep with a smile on his face, glad to have a little bit of Nico close.

*

Kevin couldn't have imagined that his weekend could have got any better, but now, standing up on the podium, he wanted to thank the one person that had motivated him to get to F1, who had kept the dream alive even when it seemed futile. His mum.

***

Even with racing at the weekends, Kevin found that they managed to get a little bit of time together. He'd got skilled in the art of finding excuses so that he could spent time with Nico, and by the summer break, he'd figured out which people to flutter his eyelashes at so that he could have some free time, no questions asked.


	18. Jules - 2014

Kevin had been so excited for his birthday, but in the end it had all faded away, it could wait, he would have time to do all the things that he wanted to.

Unlike Jules.

That evening Kevin had held Nico while he cried. They spent the night hoping for good news, and the next two hundred and eighty-five nights, until they heard.

The funeral brought it all home, Nico had thought that if anyone could beat the odds it was Jules, he had always been a fighter. But the odds had been insurmountable.

Nico wondered what it said about them that they were willing to risk their lives racing, but it was what they loved doing and they all knew the costs.

He looked down at the lilies, so crisp and white, standing out against the grey of the stone. There was a note attached to them, no words could ever express how Nico felt, but he had tried.

_Farewell my friend, you will be missed, but never forgotten x_


	19. Dropped - 2014

Kevin had lost the last couple of months in a blur of worry and hope that was fading with every day. He tried to keep his head up, to put a brave face on it for Nico. There was no use him worrying about it too, although at least they knew that one of them would definitely have a job next year.

He'd gone from the publicity day in Edinburgh down to the factory, and that was when Ron told him. McLaren were going to keep him, but as a reserve driver, Jenson was keeping his seat.

It would have been fine if he'd lost out to Stoffel, what with all the talk of building for the future, but team should-have-retired-already weren't going to still be racing in three years, never mind five years when the car would be fit to challenge for world championships. But Kevin wasn't stupid, he knew what the decision had come down to, and it had nothing to do with skill and everything to do with sponsorship.

He hadn't found enough money, and now, he was without a drive, and with no opportunity to find another drive since he was technically still contracted to McLaren. So that meant a year of sitting on the side lines, and a year with no racing, which was worse.

The next day he stood with his fake smile plastered on his face, wondering why he had decided to ignore all of Nico's calls last night. He had been so determined to deal with this all on his own, to prove that he could cope with it all, and it all had done was leave him sad and alone, with no-one to turn to.

_Why did I have to be so stubborn? Why didn't I let my mum help? Why didn't I let Nico help?_

The day was one long reminder as to why he shouldn't have faced all of this alone, and even the thought of heading back to Monaco to see Nico didn't fill him with happiness. He just wanted to go home. Home home, to Denmark, and his mum.

After most of the media had disappeared, he found a quiet room and called Nico, but he wasn't sure if Nico would be happy to hear from him.

"I love you," was the first thing that Nico said, and just knowing that he was still loved was enough to have the tears brimming up in his eyes. Kevin took a deep breath, he couldn't cry, not while he was here.

"I love you too. I'm sorry that I didn't answer your calls, I…" Kevin slumped down against the wall, he had no good reason for not talking to Nico apart from his own stubbornness. "I want to go home to Denmark for Christmas, I know I said we'd stay in Monaco and mum could come visit, but I just want to be away from everything to do with racing, and that means being away from other drivers."

Kevin took a deep breath, he hadn't meant to overload Nico with it all, but he just had to get it all out.

"I understand, I'll get the flights booked and I'll see you there." Nico made a kiss sound down the phone, and Kevin felt relief flood through his veins. "Is there anything you want from here? I can bring it with me."

"No, just you." Kevin smiled, and it felt like it had been so long since he had genuinely smiled.

"I can do that." Nico took a deep breath and Kevin wondered what he was going to say. "It's a good job all the gifts are light."

Kevin laughed, and he felt like everything was right with the world again, work might be a disaster but he was going to spend the holidays with the two people that he loved the most.

There was someone calling his name and Kevin knew that there would be more journalists wanting to speak to him, so he said goodbye and plastered his fake smile back on his face, but it was less strained that it was before, which was a win of sorts.

***

Nico was sat in the bedroom, packing all his clothes so that he could head to Denmark. He didn't care where he spent the holidays, just as long as Kevin was by his side.

At the back of his underwear drawer, there was a small box hidden, he'd been thinking about it for a while now, but it seemed like the worst possible timing. Nico wasn't sure if proposing now would let Kevin know that he was loved, and that Nico wanted to be with him for the rest of his life, or if it would make him feel like Nico was only doing this out of pity, which was anything but the truth.

He slid it back into the drawer, hiding it away at the back. Kevin deserved a proposal that was nothing less than perfect, and he would do his best to give it to him, even if that meant waiting.

It didn't take long to gather up the gifts and the rest of his clothes, making sure that he had a warm jacket, gloves and a hat. He knew how cold it could get from last winter, although he'd had Kevin by his side, keeping him warm and kissing his nose so that it didn't get cold.

Even the thought of another flight couldn't stop him smiling, and he boarded the plane knowing that he would get to see Kevin that evening.

*

Kevin got the text saying that his flight had been booked, it wasn't until just after 9 p.m. which left him with time to kill. Usually the thought of hanging around the airport for that long would be torture but it was better than the alternatives, and Kevin left as soon as he could, happy to watch all the people in the airport as he listened to his music, scrolling through all the photos of him and Nico together.

It was a little bit annoying that he couldn't use Nico as his lock screen, it was a photo of his younger siblings, but he didn't need to see a photo of him all the time see his smile, all he had to do was close his eyes and there Nico was, his beautiful face forever etched into his memory.

*

Nico landed on time and he saw that Kevin's plane was delayed, so he got himself a coffee and made himself comfy, it was rare that he had a chance to relax and read a book. He rested his glasses up on his head, glad that he was able to read without them, and he sipped at his coffee.

When he finished his chapter, he checked the arrivals board and it was still showing Kevin's flight as delayed, so he went back to reading.

He was getting to a good bit, when he was aware of someone standing over his shoulder and he looked up, only to remember that he wasn't wearing his glasses. Nico scrabbled to put his glasses back on, and there was Kevin, his cheeky grin shining out as they both gazed at each other lovingly.

Nico wanted to go in for a kiss, a hug, but the place was far too public. Only his glasses were stopping him from being recognised, and in the time that Kevin had been standing there, a few people had pointed in his direction.

"Ready to get out of here?" Kevin said, smiling as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Mum should be here to pick us up."

Nico grabbed his bag, downing the last of his now cold coffee, and they headed out into the freezing night, walking close but not too close as they went to meet Britt.

*

"Nico, it's good to see you." Britt leant over for a hug, Kevin had been kind enough to let him sit in the front of Britt's small car. It was more than enough for just her, but now, with all three of them and the luggage it was a bit of a squeeze. "Thank you for bringing my baby boy home. It's the best Christmas present that I could hope for."

Kevin shrugged and Nico wondered why he hadn't told Britt that her Christmas present was meant to be a ticket to Monaco so that she could spend the holidays with her little boy and enjoy the warmer weather. But it would mean that it would be a surprise for another year, which would be nice.

"I just missed being home," Kevin said, and Nico reached a hand back so that he could hold Kevin's hand. It was awkward with the seatbelt but he didn't care, it was worth it just to be able to comfort him.

Forty minutes later they were pulling up outside the house and Nico was wondering how long it would take for all the blood to return to his hand, but it was still worth it. Kevin's smile shone out as he grabbed his bag and headed straight for the door, he was like a kid at Christmas and Nico was glad that he could do this small thing for him.

Nico followed him in, and Britt put the kettle on, slicing up the cake as Nico watched in fascination. Once they were all settled in the living room there was silence, no-one wanting to mention the obvious, and yet to talk about anything else seemed tactless.

In the end Britt broke the silence, with just one word. "Sorry."

"I gave them everything, they told me the seat was mine, and then they did this to me." Kevin slumped down in the seat, and Nico wrapped his arm around him.

Nico knew that feeling all too well, it had happened to him a few times in the past, which was why he'd returned to the one team that had actually treated him fairly.

"You'll be racing again, they can't keep a good driver down." Nico kissed Kevin on the forehead as he cuddled in closer. "Everyone saw how good you were this year. You were on the podium in your first race, and people don't forget that."

Kevin smiled, reaching out for the cake, and that was the last thing that was said on the subject, leaving them free to chat into the night, not caring how late it was. The holidays meant no more early mornings, and all the lie ins that they wanted.

***

Nico sat on the sofa, groaning about how he'd eaten too much. "My trainer is going to be really disappointed in me."

Kevin cuddled in closer so that he could whisper, "I know a way that you can work it off."

Nico smiled, but Britt was in the house somewhere, and it felt wrong to have sex while she was around, even if they were quiet.

Kevin took his hand, and his grin only got bigger. "We can dance."

"There's no music," Nico said, laughing as the tension was broken. He wasn't really one for dancing but with Kevin looking up at him, it felt like the best idea in the world, an excuse to hold each other close.

Nico rested his hand on Kevin's waist, holding his hand gently as he was led around the room. Kevin was smiling even though Nico kept stepping on his feet, although this was the first time that he'd ever really danced, his normal style in nightclubs was just to wave his hands and that seemed to be enough to satisfy people.

Kevin held his hand up so Nico could twirl, it was a bit of a stretch, and Kevin had to stand on his tiptoes but it made them both smile, and that was all that mattered.

He was going to have to do everything that he could to make sure that Kevin was happy this year, now more than ever. Nico leant in for a kiss, chaste and soft, and Kevin cuddled in close, their bodies pressed together as they danced around the room.

Britt wandered into the room with more cake, and Nico smiled, he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

"You two are going to look adorable on your wedding day," Britt said, and Nico felt Kevin flinch at the mention of it.

He'd definitely made the right decision, it was too soon to propose to Kevin, and with that Nico made a choice, he wasn't going to ask Kevin until they were both settled in their careers. Nico knew that meant he would be waiting a while, but he couldn't imagine spending the rest of his life with anyone else.


	20. Lost - 2015

The second round of winter testing had been and gone, and Kevin hadn't been there. It was a harsh reminder of the fact that he didn't have a drive.

Nico remembered it all too well. There was something about watching from the garage that was frustrating and disappointing all at the same time, and no matter how much the team said that they needed him, it wasn't the same as actually being in the car.

Nico had asked if he wanted to come with him, but Kevin had said that it would be more suspicious if he was there and in the Force India garage. Not because he feared being outed, it was a long stretch from him being in the garage to dating one of their drivers, but rumours of driver transfers spread fast, and the last thing he wanted was more trouble for his already rocky relationship with McLaren.

But then Kevin's luck changed, although it meant misfortune for someone else. Alonso had crashed, and even though he was apparently uninjured, he needed some time to recover.

So Kevin was going to get to do the last of the winter testing, and it meant that they could be together without it being suspicious. It was going to be good, not just for them, but for Kevin's career, showing McLaren, and the other teams, that it wasn't lack of talent that had left him without a seat.

They'd got very little time together, but that was fine, because seeing Kevin back in the car, seeing him happy, was the most wonderful sight. He was going to have two whole days of doing what he loved, and Nico felt like everything was right with the world again.

That night, after Kevin had been in the car for the day, Nico had been glad to see Kevin acting more like his old self, and he was glad that at least he could have a little bit of happiness before the year got going.

Kevin was fastest of all the McLaren drivers so far, and he was going to be back in the car tomorrow. That night it was nice just to sleep curled up in each other's arms, and hopefully, no matter how busy their schedules got, they would get a chance to spend a little bit of time together each race weekend.

*

Nico was watching from the garage, someone else was driving the car today, when he saw something worrying on the timing screen.

_J Button_

Why wasn't Kevin driving the car like planned? Nico sent him a quick text, but there was no answer, although in a crowded garage there might not be a safe place for him to answer without prying eyes seeing.

It wasn't until lunchtime that Nico got an answer. He slipped into his little room at the back of the motorhome, and he jumped when he saw Kevin sitting there. Nico let out a little laugh, but he saw the frown on Kevin's face and rushed over to hug him, making sure that the door was locked on the way.

"What happened? Why aren't you driving?" Nico asked, and Kevin snuggled in next to him.

"They wanted Jenson to have more time in the car." Kevin shook his head, Nico hadn't thought it was possible that McLaren could treat him any more badly, but it seemed they had managed it.

"You'll be back racing before you know it." Nico leant in for a kiss, gentle and reassuring but Kevin wanted something else, he wanted rough and frantic, and he was straddling Nico as they kissed.

Kevin was nipping at Nico's lips and he could feel Kevin's anger bubbling to the surface, Nico placed his hand on his shoulder, breaking the kiss as the frown on Kevin's face broke his heart.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Nico asked, and Kevin just shook his head.

Kevin put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a condom. "Take my mind off everything?"

"Anything for you, my love." Nico stroked the side of Kevin's face as he got off the small bed, stripping out of his clothes and flinging them on the floor with a thud, waiting for Nico to do the same.

Kevin smiled when he saw Nico's cock spring free. At first he'd struggled to take it all, but now he could take Nico without much prep and still scream for more. Although he was going to have to be quiet today if he didn't want everyone in the motorhome to hear them.

"Think you can be quiet?" Nico asked, and Kevin shook his head, the frustration evident as he bit at his lip.

Nico dragged him into a passionate kiss, rolling the condom on so that he could slick up his fingers but before he could even move them round to open Kevin up, Kevin was sinking down on to him, his hands grabbing at his shoulders as he gasped into his mouth.

Kevin broke the kiss and sank down a little further, biting down on Nico's shoulder as he bottomed out and Nico could feel all of his muscles go rigid, every twitch seemed to cause Kevin pain and although the feeling of Kevin wrapped around him was heavenly, the worry was overriding all the pleasure.

"I love you," Nico whispered, stroking Kevin's back as he kissed the side of his neck. "And I'm so proud that you're my boyfriend."

Kevin let out a whimper as he let go of Nico's shoulder, kissing it as Nico held him tight. "I love you too. Now fuck me senseless."

Nico held Kevin's hips tight as he went in for a kiss, muffling his gasps and he could see the focus on Kevin's face as he resisted the urge to scream in pleasure. Kevin was so tight around him and he tried to thrust gently but Kevin had other ideas. He was riding Nico with frantic movements, his muscles fluttering around him as their bodies slammed together.

Kevin's cock was leaking over his stomach and Nico reached down to stroke it, breaking the kiss so that he could see Kevin's angelic face as he came. He rested his free hand on the side of Kevin's face, he wanted Kevin to look at him, to see the love in his eyes as his mouth hung open and his nostrils flared. Kevin gasped as he shuddered, come spurting over Nico's stomach, his eyes were unfocused and Nico had never seen anything more beautiful.

The feeling of Kevin clenching around him brought him to climax, and he held Kevin tight as he whispered how much he loved him. There were tears in Kevin's eyes, the stretch and burn of his cock must have been right on the limit, but Nico trusted Kevin to say if it was too much for him.

"Good?" Nico whispered, nuzzling against his neck as he waited for Kevin to catch his breath.

"Just what I needed," Kevin said with a smirk. He gave Nico no warning as he slid off him, both of them gasping as they dealt with the sensation. "I have to go back to the garage, but I'll see you later."

Nico scrambled to get dressed, and he gave Kevin a kiss on his cheek before watching him walk away. He waited for a few minutes before slinking back to the garage. At least he'd managed to put a smile on to Kevin's face, even if it was only temporary. Nico was just hoping that fate could step in and give him something to smile about career wise.

***

Kevin had been thrilled when he found out that he was going to race in Australia, it had taken all of his effort to keep the smile off his face when he talked about Alonso's injury, but that joy had been short lived.

Australia was a non-starter, literally. Nico had tried to get Kevin to talk about it but he'd said it was fine, that it was just one of those things.

But that had been a few weeks ago, and Kevin just hadn't been himself since then. Even their date night, which Kevin usually loved, he'd seemed distracted the whole time, and Nico had got only his fake smile for the night.

He was trying not to pester Kevin, constantly asking him if he was okay seemed to only be getting on his nerves, but he wanted him to know that he cared, and that he would do anything to make him happy.

All suggestions of what they could do when they got back to Europe were met with a 'whatever you want to do,' which wasn't what Nico wanted to hear, and Kevin only got more unhappy every time that Nico asked.

Nico was scrolling through his phone when he saw the perfect thing, and he booked two tickets, knowing that Kevin was less likely to say no if it was already arranged.

They were packing up after the Spanish grand prix, and since they were driving back to Monaco it wasn't as much of a rush as it usually was. Once the bags were loaded in the car, and Kevin was dozing in the passenger seat, Nico headed towards the aquarium.

He parked up and Kevin didn't wake, he looked so young when he slept, although Nico spent a large amount of time trying not to think about how young he was. Nico ran his fingers through his hair, and Kevin opened his eyes, only vaguely registering that the car wasn't moving.

"I've got a surprise for you," Nico said, and he got a flicker of a smile from Kevin.

They were a long way from the race track, and in another country, but they still didn't hold hands in public. Even in their casual clothes there was still a risk that someone would recognise them, although it wasn't just their careers that Nico was worried about, sadly his own parents had taught him the risks of being openly gay in public.

Nico walked alongside Kevin as he looked at the sign with curiosity, it was in French, but the pictures of fish and sharks kind of gave away what the place was.

He fumbled with his phone to find the code for the ticket, and Kevin managed to keep a smile on his face while the kind assistant sorted them out. Nico gestured for him to lead the way, and he followed as Kevin wandered into the aquarium, looking in all the tanks as he tried to see the fish.

At first he was just glancing in each one, but then there was a tank with lots of tiny bright yellow fish and Kevin's eye was drawn to them, his nose pressed up against the glass as he peered in. The fist followed his finger as he drew patterns over the glass, and Nico felt his heart beat faster at the sight of Kevin happy, enthralled by the wonders within.

As they made their way round the tanks got bigger and there were more and more varieties of creatures. The baby sharks were in a tank that they could walk through, and Kevin just stood underneath them, watching them as they swam over him. There was so much wonder in his eyes, and Nico was thrilled to see the look of pure joy on Kevin's face as he took in the infinite beauty and majesty.

Nico sat watching Kevin for the longest time, memorising every smile, every crinkle around his eyes as he stood mesmerised by it all.

Years later, when Kevin asked him about when he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him, Nico would tell him about this exact moment. Out of all the ones that he could have picked this one was the most memorable, and seeing his eyes light up at all exotic creatures, captivated by their splendour, Nico knew that he wanted to be with Kevin forever, to have someone by his side who saw all the beauty and wonder of the world.


	21. Le Mans - 2015

"Dad, this is Nico." Kevin was holding his hand and stroking the side of it with his thumb, in the hope that it would calm him. It wasn't the best place to do this, although at least they were alone, but both his dad and his boyfriend were racing here this weekend, and Kevin really wanted them to focus on that.

Nico had said that he didn't mind meeting him, but now that the time had come, the way that Nico was gripping his hand said otherwise. Kevin had already told his dad about them some time ago, although his dad had found out a while after his mum had, and this was the first opportunity that they all had to meet up.

"Hi."

"Hi."

The silence was awkward, and Kevin wondered what he could say to break it, things were so much easier with his mum, not that he didn't love his dad, but he didn't get to see a lot of him with them both being so busy racing.

Luca and Millie were colouring in, they didn't notice that things were strange, they were just happy to see their big brother, and he was happy to see them. Every time Kevin told them how big they were getting, and as they'd got older, they were able to talk to him more and more.

Nico was watching as Kevin fussed over his siblings, they'd not talked about children yet, but after seeing him with Luca and Millie, Nico had no doubt as to whether Kevin would want kids in the future.

There was another lull in the conversation, and apart from introducing Nico, Kevin hadn't really spoken to his dad yet, all his attention had been focused on his siblings.

Kevin realised that it had been a while since he'd seen his dad, and it wasn't helping with the strained atmosphere.

So, Kevin told his dad everything that he could think of, including how they went to the aquarium, which Luca and Millie found fascinating.

Nico felt all the unease fade away, and once they got onto the subject of racing everything was easier. It was nice to have the common ground, Nico wasn't really one for small talk, although for Kevin, he would do whatever it took to make sure that he had a civil relationship with his family.

He smiled to himself as he wondered what his own parents would think of their relationship. Nico couldn't imagine them welcoming Kevin into their home, treating him like their own, although hating him would be treating him like their own. Nico had never been more grateful that he'd got away from it all, and that he'd found Kevin. He'd never imagined that he'd be worthy of love, and yet now that he had it, he couldn't imagine his life any other way.

"So are you thinking of joining WEC permanently?" Jan asked, and Nico was roused from his thoughts.

"I'll have to see how things work out." Nico didn't mean to sound cryptic, but every year he'd been in Formula one he'd had to wait until the last minute to find out if he had a seat or not. He'd had many contracts signed and yet very few of them had come to fruition. It was just the way it worked because he didn't have any big sponsors to help him buy a seat.

"That Ferrari seat must look tempting?" Jan smiled, and Nico knew that Kevin must have been keeping him up to date with everything that was happening to him.

"Very tempting." Nico was hoping that being in Le Mans would make him a lot more well-known to the big teams, and if Formula one didn't work out it meant that he had a plan B. As much as he had his fingers crossed for a drive at Ferrari if Kimi retired, he knew that it would probably end as badly as it did last time. "But contracts don't mean anything in Formula one. Until I'm sitting in that seat, I won't get my hopes up."

Jan snorted in laughter and Kevin nodded. Nico knew that they'd all been in that situation before, that he wasn't the only one who'd been messed around by the system.

"I should be getting these two back to the room and ready for bed," Jan said, and Luca yawned as if on cue. Kevin picked him up so that Jan could carry Millie, and Nico said goodnight. It would be suspicious if he was seen walking Kevin and Jan back to their hotel.

Kevin leant in so that he could whisper, "I'll see you later," and Nico left to head back to his garage with a smile on his face.

***

It was late after the practice session, Nico had planned to meet Kevin, but then Jan had crashed. Nico saw it on the screen and it had looked awful, but he was told by other people in the garage that Jan was fine, although the car that had taken the worst of it wasn't able to be repaired in time for the race.

Nico had rushed to be by Kevin's side, helping him keep Luca and Millie entertained while Jan was checked over in the medical centre.

They should have been in bed ages ago, but Jan had said that they could stay up to watch their dad in the car and their mum, Christina, was trying not to worry them after the crash.

"Kevin's going to be a great dad one day," she said to Nico, and he nodded in agreement while his mind raced with all the thoughts of what Kevin would be like with their own children.

Nico had never imagined that he would have kids, his own childhood was more than enough to put him off the idea, and he'd never had a relationship stable enough to consider it. But now, with Kevin, they'd been together three years, and he couldn't imagine a future without him in it. Although they'd not talked about the future, and since they weren't out to anyone other than close friends and family, marriage and kids were something that they were going to have a lot of time to think about.

"I was just saying to Nico that you're going to be a great dad one day," Christina said to Kevin, as he handed a sleepy Millie back to her so that she could sleep cuddled into her mum.

"That's a long way off. I'm too busy with…" Kevin was going to say racing, but it had been a long time since he had raced, and he shook his head. "I'm busy with my career."

Nico saw the frown on his face, and the way that his brow furrowed as he thought about his future. Nico remembered it all well, the not knowing, wondering if he would ever get to drive in F1 again, or if he would be better focusing elsewhere, knowing that moving to another series meant giving up on the dream. Very few went and came back, and definitely not those who'd never won a race, never mind a championship.

Kevin forced a smile on his face, Nico had been trying to avoid this topic of conversation, but with all the talk of racing, it was inevitable that Kevin would end up thinking about the future.

Nico dragged him into a hug, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek as they waited on the hard plastic chairs. Luca was playing with his toy car quietly as Kevin sat on the floor with him, ready to hold him if he wanted to sleep.

Kevin felt Nico run his hands through his hair, even though this was anything but what he wanted when he'd thought of having a nice quiet evening with Nico, he was so glad that he was here by his side. Nico was so good with Luca and Millie, and although he'd been telling his dad for the last couple of days that he wasn't thinking about anything other than racing again, the thought of Nico one day being his husband and having a couple of children running around their house calling them papa, or daddy, was the thing that he wanted most for his future.

But all that would mean being out about their relationship, and with him desperately chasing more sponsors so that he had a chance of driving in Formula one again, that wasn't going help him. He wanted to believe people wouldn't care, but he wasn't so naïve as to think it would all be okay.

Jan appeared, smiling as he rushed in to hug his children and Kevin tucked all those thoughts away, there was no rush for any of it, and Nico hadn't mentioned anything yet, although they had been living together for a year and a half, it appeared to be enough for Nico.

He had no idea that Nico had been thinking the same things, not wanting to bring it up yet and pressure Kevin into things if he wasn't ready for. But he had no doubt that it was their future, that they would get their happily ever after, and he would do whatever it took to make that a reality.

***

For Kevin, twenty-four hours had never felt so long.

For Nico, twenty-four hours had passed in the blink of an eye. He was driving across the finish line and it hadn't sunk in, he had won Le Mans at his first attempt.

It wasn't until he was on the podium that it sank in. Kevin was on the ground smiling up at him, Millie frantically waving, and Nico felt like he was on top of the world.

Standing with Nick and Earl, holding up the giant trophy, brought back the rush of being a winner, the satisfaction of knowing that he'd not only done a good job, but that he was the best.

After that it was a blur, he smelt of champagne and beer but he hadn't had time to get a shower, or see Kevin. With the media swarming there was no way to give the man that he loved a kiss, or even a hug, and yet every time he looked around, Kevin was there, standing at the back of the crowds, keeping him company even though he couldn't be by his side.

At the night club Nico saw Kevin standing at the bar, finishing his drink before heading to the bathroom, and Nico knew that it was his chance.

He made his way through the never ending crowd, everyone wanted to congratulate him on his win, and he did his best to thank them all. It was nice being the centre of attention, having something positive to share with everyone, but there was one person that he really wanted to thank.

Nico glanced around to make sure that no-one was following him before slinking into the bathroom, locking the door behind him as he saw Kevin leaning against a sink.

"Congratulations my love." Kevin rushed in for a kiss, lips so soft compared to his own dry lips, the exertion and alcohol catching up with him. Nico was pressed up against the door, Kevin's hands clawing at his belt as he tried to get it open, and Nico deepened the kiss so that he could slow things down.

Just because they were going to have sex in the bathroom, didn't mean that it couldn't be romantic, and he planned on making it spectacular as possible for Kevin. Nico trailed his hands down the curve of Kevin's back, sliding one into Kevin's boxers so that he could tease at his hole, and that was when he felt the slick of lube surrounding it.

"Been having fun without me?" Nico asked, he'd seen Kevin's collection of toys for when he was at home alone, and Kevin was happy to tell Nico exactly how much fun he'd had with them on their nightly calls. Just the thought of Kevin playing with them had Nico rock hard, and the fact that Kevin would open himself up for him was so arousing that Nico couldn't hold back any longer.

"Just starting the fun a little early," Kevin said, his cheeky grin shining out as he dragged Nico over to the sink. He went in for one last kiss before turning around, bracing himself against the edge of the sink before winking at Nico in the mirror.

Nico kissed at the side of Kevin's neck, glancing up so that he could see Kevin's reflection, admiring his smile as he worked Kevin's jeans open, inching them down over his perfect rear as he knelt down to kiss at every freckle, teasing him until the whimpers were desperate and needy.

"I love you so much," Nico whispered, rummaging through Kevin's pockets for a condom.

"Oh, I…" Kevin patted his pockets before letting out a squeak, clearly unhappy at the turn of events.

"I'll just have to finger you." Nico resumed kissing the side of Kevin's neck, pulling down the hem of his t-shirt so that he could kiss even more skin, scraping his teeth over Kevin's shoulder, but when he glanced up, Kevin looked anything but happy.

"I'm clean, you're clean. We don't need a condom for you to fuck me."

Nico gasped, they'd just always used condoms, although Kevin was right, they were both clean, a fact which had been a relief to Nico, glad that his past hadn't left him with any unwanted gifts, but he had been careful, mostly.

"We don't have to," Nico said, but he could see the frustration on Kevin's face, and he dragged Kevin into a kiss as he rushed to free his cock, smearing the pre-come over the tip before pressing it against Kevin's slick hole.

"I want to." Kevin arched his back, grinning as he pressed against Nico's hard cock, willing him to thrust in.

Nico pushed in, biting his lip as he was overwhelmed by the warmth of Kevin, it was a searing heat that he had never experienced before, and he found himself gasping as he tried to control himself as he inched his way in, giving Kevin a chance to adjust as he held his hips tight, admiring the view of Kevin stretched around his thick cock.

He bottomed out with a grunt, twisting Kevin's head round so that he could kiss him before reaching down to grab Kevin's cock, stroking it in time with his thrusts as Kevin let out the most beautiful noises, begging for more as Nico picked up the pace and the sight of Kevin with his eyes screwed shut and his mouth hanging open was so perfect that Nico couldn't keep control of himself.

Kevin's cock shuddered with his orgasm and his muscles clenched around him, he felt tighter without the condom and Nico bit down on Kevin's shoulder as he came, filling him up with come as he held him tight, waiting for him to catch his breath before lazily kissing him.

"Feel good?" Nico asked, nibbling on Kevin's ear lobe, his warm breath a tease on his sensitive skin.

"Perfect." Kevin grinned, Nico kissing him as he withdrew, ducking down so that he could lick Kevin clean. He looked so beautiful with his come dribbling out of him, Nico had never thought that he would find it attractive and yet now he couldn't imagine anything more arousing.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

*

Leaving Kevin had been torture, but Nico knew that if he was gone for too long that people would come looking for him. He slipped out of the bathroom, Kevin was going to wait before leaving, and he headed back across the crowded dance floor with beers in his hands, aiming for his teammates.

"Did you have fun?" Nick said with a smile, "I kept everyone away so that you could have some quality time with your boyfriend."

Nico narrowed his eyes, his mouth pulled in a strained smile as he stared at Nick.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with us." Nick rested his hand on Nico's shoulder, leaning in close so that the milling crowd couldn't hear them over the music.

"Us?" Nico asked, with all the alcohol and sleep deprivation his mind was racing. Had someone been talking to him? Had someone in the garage seen him and Kevin together? Nico had tried to be discreet all weekend, every time he'd seen Kevin in public he'd tried to act like they were just friends, just two racers talking about racing, and not at all like lovers who lived together.

"Yes, me and Earl." Nick said, and Nico flinched, where was Nick going with this? "The way you look at each other, you're clearly in love."

Nico laughed, and he downed his beer, relaxing as the tension in the air faded. "Yeah, we've been together for three years now, and we live together," Nico whispered, as Earl wandered over with more beers in his hands.

Nick nodded at Earl, and Earl handed Nico a beer as they toasted their win for what felt like the hundredth time.

"You should have brought him into the garage," Earl said, sipping at his beer as Nico looked at him with confusion, "Let us meet him properly."

Nico nodded as he watched Kevin slip out of the bathroom, heading for the exit so that he could wait for him back at the hotel.

"We were thinking of calling it a night," Nick said, smiling as he saw where Nico was looking.

Nico laughed, the alcohol buzzing through his system. "Same time next year?"


	22. Fate - 2015

"I got fired by e-mail." Kevin put his head in his hands and wondered what he could have done to deserve this. Although he knew Nico and a few of the other drivers had similarly awful stories about how they found out they'd lost their seat, but Kevin hadn't got used it to it yet.

Paul nodded as he sipped at his coffee, his little boy asleep in his crib next to him. For some reason he'd only sleep if he got a bit of a walk first, and since the DTM season was now finished, Paul had been making up for lost time so that Laura could get a break.

"I'll put in a good word for you at Mercedes," Paul said, and Kevin chuckled, sure that he was joking about it.

"Thanks, I need all the help I can get right now." Kevin smiled, keeping his laugh in so that he wouldn't wake the little one.

"It'll all work out, even if it's not what you expected," Paul said, and he picked up the crib as Nico went to get the doors for him, leaving Kevin wondering what options he did have.

***

Nico was frowning at something on his laptop screen with his nose wrinkled. It had been a while since he'd seen Nico look so unhappy, and Kevin went to sit next to him on the sofa, resting his hand on his knee as he waited for him to speak.

"The Formula one calendar has been finalised." Nico shook his head and Kevin's mind jumped to the worst conclusions, that Force India had dropped him, or weren't running next year.

Nico turned the screen so that Kevin could see it, and he looked at it for a while as he tried to work out what was wrong with it. Monaco was still on their anniversary weekend, but that was unlikely to ever change, and it had never been a problem in the past. Nico's birthday was still in the summer break, and his birthday was just after Malaysia, but they'd make it work. With no knowing what series he'd be racing in next year there was no way of knowing what scheduling issues they would have.

"What's wrong?" Kevin hoped it wasn't obvious, but he just couldn't make the connection.

"The European grand prix, it's on the nineteenth," Nico said, biting on his lip as he let out a little sigh. "It's the same weekend as Le Mans, I can't go back to defend my title."

"There's still time for the calendar to change. Again." Kevin cuddled in and wrapped his arm around Nico's shoulders as he stared at the screen.

"I need to make a few calls." Nico left the laptop sitting on the coffee table and went in search of his phone. Kevin knew what he could do to cheer Nico up and he wandered through to the kitchen.

The smell of chocolate filled the air, and Nico came through with a smile on his face.

"I just wanted to cheer you up," Kevin said, but Nico was already looking better and by the time that the microwave pinged and the coffee was ready, Nico had the biggest smile on his face.

Kevin grabbed the coffee and Nico held the mug cake, picking up a spoon as they went to curl up on the sofa together.

"I told Porsche that I won't be able to make the race." Nico kept smiling, and Kevin wondered what they could have said to make it less of a blow. "And they asked if I knew of anyone who would want to do Le Mans…"

Nico stared at Kevin until it dawned on him, he was free, and a drive in the winning Porsche for Le Mans was a dream come true, as well as being able to race against his dad.

"Me?" Kevin was blinking as the implications of it all sunk in, and Nico nodded, rushing in for a kiss as Kevin said thank you over and over again. He had no idea what he'd done to deserve someone as wonderful as Nico in his life, but he was thankful every day for being able to share his life with him.

***

"Porsche aren't running a third car." Kevin stared at the headline, he knew that he wasn't guaranteed the seat, but with them not running it at all, there was no hope for him.

Nico gave him a hug, whispering that he would get a drive, that he would race again, but he had no idea where. All the F1 seats were full apart from Manor, and they had a hefty price tag on them. Indy Car was filling up fast and it would mean moving to America, which Nico would support him through, but the amount of time they would get together would be reduced down to just the summer and winter breaks.

But two days later he got a call from the Mercedes DTM squad asking him if he wanted to test for them. Kevin was torn, he'd wanted to get a drive in F1, but at the same time, he didn't want to end up without a race seat.

"I'll see you there," Kevin said, "Thank you so much for the opportunity."

Kevin hung up and texted Paul a thank you, he'd honestly believed that he was joking when he'd said about getting him a test, but now he was ever so grateful that Paul had given him another option when it was starting to look like they were all gone.

***

The DTM test went well, and Kevin could see why Paul spoke so highly of it. Everyone was so nice, and there wasn't the same amount of politics as there was in F1, which made a big change from McLaren. The thought of working somewhere that was relaxed and friendly was really appealing, and he was going to have his fingers crossed for the entire time until he heard if he'd got the seat.

A month passed, and there was no word back, but he didn't want to seem pushy. Although he was sure that they knew Paul was keeping him in the loop about the fact that they hadn't made a decision yet. It all seemed to be hanging on the fact that they were trying to get Pascal a drive in F1, but if that didn't happen he'd stay in DTM, which meant there was no spare seat for him.

*

"How are you?" Nico asked, he was back home for the winter break, all of his obligations at the factory and with the media done until next year.

"Okay." Kevin had been thinking a lot, as much as he wanted a drive, and he was working as hard as he could to make it happen, he knew that some things were down to luck, which he had no control over.

"Really? You can tell me anything." Nico stripped off his clothes and slid into bed next to Kevin, happy to be close to the one that he loved after all that time apart.

"Whatever happens, happens." Kevin kissed Nico, stroking his hands through his hair as he slid his glasses off, fumbling for the bedside table so that he could sit them out of the way. Nico broke the kiss and Kevin got to admire his beautiful eyes up close, the flecks of brown shining out like fire in a sea of blue.

"That's very wise. The future is very hard to plan for." Nico let out a little laugh, he'd tried so hard to plan for his future, but he was glad that not everything had gone to plan, otherwise he might never have met Kevin.

"Not always." Kevin grinned as he let his fingers brush over Nico's nipples, sticking his tongue out when Nico gasped. "I always planned to have you in my life, I couldn't imagine a future where we didn't meet again."

"My angel," Nico said, smile on his face as he trailed his fingers over Kevin's tattoo, each time they brushed over his heart Kevin felt dizzy with the rush of it all.

Kevin took Nico's finger and ran it over the wing, tracing where Nico's name was hidden among the feathers, and he felt his heart race as Nico's eyes went wide. He had no idea how he would react to it.

Nico leant down to kiss it, his eyes still wide but there was a grin on his face, showing off all his teeth as he held Kevin tight.

"You have my name tattooed over your heart?" There was no trace of anger or confusion in his voice, just love and affection.

"Yes." Kevin ran his fingers through Nico's soft hair, and Nico nuzzled against his hand. "I just wanted you with me always."

Nico went in for a kiss, tears welling up in his eyes at the gesture, he could never have imagined that anyone would love him enough to have his name tattooed over their heart. He stared into Kevin's eyes, stroking the side of his face as he took a deep breath, composing himself so that he could speak without his voice breaking.

"No matter what happens, or where you end up racing, I'll always be here for you."


	23. Destiny - 2016

Nico had rushed to Roskilde, Kevin's message had simply said to meet him there, and he was almost frantic when the plane landed, unsure of what state Kevin would be in.

The universe had offered him a glimmer of hope, and Nico had been hoping, praying to a god that he didn't believe in that Kevin would get a drive. He wanted to feel bad for Pastor, but Formula one was ruthless and he'd seen it all up close himself on many occasions.

Nico got on the train, wondering if Kevin would have landed already, his sponsors had chartered a flight, and they were landing at the small airport near the town. He hoped that Kevin would have good news, but he was prepared for the worst.

He wandered through the town from the train station, the frost on the ground was already hard, and the bare trees swayed in the wind. It wasn't long before he was standing at the door of Britt's house, knocking quietly so he wouldn't disturb the neighbours.

The door flew open and Kevin's big grin said it all, he was going to drive again in Formula one.

Kevin jumped into his arms and Nico held him tight, kissing the side of his neck as he spun him around. His breath hung in the air, and Kevin shivered, even in a jumper the cool evening air was bitter.

Nico put him down, and he whispered, "I'm so proud of you."

"I love you." Kevin smiled at him, and he looked like his old self again. This last year had been hard on him, and Nico was just glad that he had been there to support Kevin through it all, although he was sure that Britt and his dad had been doing as much as they could for him.

Kevin took his hand and led him through to the living room, his bags and coat left dumped by the door to be dealt with later.

"Nico, it's so good to see you again." Britt came over for a hug, and Nico felt like he was home. He cleared the steam from his glasses, and when he put them back on he saw that Britt had poured him a cup of coffee, and slid a slice of cake over to him.

"Thank you." Nico took a bite of the cake, and it was perfection, chocolate and marzipan. Kevin cuddled in next to him, telling them both all about his new deal, and how he was going to be in Paris for a few days for the launch.

"It's going to be so good to race again," Kevin said, and he was grinning so much that his eyes were almost completely scrunched shut.

"It's going to be a good year," Nico said, "I can feel it."

***

The year hadn't gone quite as Kevin planned it, he'd hoped that he'd be in the points more often, but at least he had a drive, and the car was improving each weekend.

Nico hadn't fared much better, in the first few races of the season, but now they were back home in Monaco, it felt like things were going to get better.

Quali had gone well, by Renault standards, and Nico had done a good job, but none of that mattered, there were no points for qualifying. The race was the real test.

Kevin was sitting in the living room waiting for Nico to get home. He was busier than Kevin this weekend, Force India were making the most of having all their sponsors in town. Nico was dressed head to toe in their sponsor's clothes, and it was so strange to see him in something other than torn jeans and a plain hoodie.

"Happy anniversary," Kevin said, holding out a tiny chocolate on the palm of his hand. He'd considered making a whole cake, but that was probably a bad idea on a race weekend, and even a mug cake was more than either of them should be having. So in the end, he'd found one perfect chocolate, wrapped in green foil, and he hoped that it was enough to show Nico that he loved him every bit as much as the day he first saw him.

Nico rushed over to give him a kiss, slumping down on to the sofa as he let out a groan, and Kevin cuddled in next to him, leaving the chocolate balanced on his leg.

"For me?" Nico asked, studying the green foil. He unwrapped it slowly, inhaling it as he admired the smooth chocolate, licking his lips before going in for a bite. Nico nibbled at the corner, savouring it as he murmured in appreciation.

Kevin watched as he took a couple more tiny bites, leaving half the chocolate, which Kevin thought he was going to save for later, make the treat last longer, but he offered it to Kevin.

"Happy anniversary, my angel." Nico fed Kevin the chocolate, smiling as he watched Kevin chew, he couldn't remember the last time that he'd had a treat like this, probably Christmas, and Kevin was amazed how time had flown.

"I can't believe that we've been together for four years." Kevin smiled, he wasn't sure where the time had gone, it seemed not that long ago he was just a teenager with a crush, and now he was a grown up in a long term relationship with the love of his life.

"Four years." Nico grinned, fidgeting with his glasses as he took it all in. "And many more to come." Nico reached out to hold his hand, intertwining their fingers as he moved in for a kiss, licking up all the traces of chocolate as he deepened the kiss, straddling Kevin as they lay out on the sofa.

Kevin liked the sound of that, many more years of happiness, of having Nico in his life, and he couldn't imagine a more wonderful future.

Nico sat back with a smile on his face, and he handed his glasses to Kevin. "I don't really think these clothes are quite me, do you?" He flung off his t-shirt, it ended up draped over the tv as his muscles rippled and Kevin let out a little growl.

Kevin rushed in for another kiss, lips crashing together as they both fumbled with buttons and zips, desperate to free each other from their clothes. They wouldn't have long before they needed to be tucked up in bed, sleeping, so Kevin was determined to make the most of it.

He led Nico to the bedroom, a trail of clothes forming as he headed for the bed, leaping on to it as soon as he was naked. Kevin lay on his side, propping himself up on one elbow as he spread his legs. He patted the bed, and Nico lay with his head by Kevin's thighs, licking his lips as he batted his eyelashes at Kevin.

Kevin knew that Nico wouldn't be able to see him clearly without his glasses, but that didn't stop him grinning as he moved closer to Nico's hard cock, the tip flushed purple and leaking already. Just the smell of it had his senses going into overdrive, and Kevin licked up the drop of pre-come from the slit, the taste combined with the feeling of Nico's warm breath on his hard cock made him moan out loud.

He licked his lips before taking Nico into his mouth, groaning as Nico did the same to him. Nico reached down to stroke his hair, his other hand wrapped around the base of his cock to stop Kevin hurting himself, although it wasn't going to take much to push him over the edge.

Kevin's breathless moans vibrated around his, sending pleasure through his cock and the way that his tongue teased its way along every vein had him gasping as he came, twitching as Kevin licked up every drop of come.

Nico brushed his fingers across Kevin's hole, teasing at the soft downy hair surrounding it, and Kevin came with a jolt, Nico greedily swallowing it all down.

"I love you," Kevin whispered, slowly moving round so that he could rest his head on the pillow, cuddling in to Nico as they both got ready to sleep.

"I love you too." Nico kissed Kevin on the forehead, pulling him close as they drifted off to sleep. They may not have got much time together this weekend with the race, but Nico was glad of every second, and he couldn't imagine his life without Kevin.

It had been the best four years of his life, and he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Kevin. And now that everything was settled for both of them, he'd been thinking about asking Kevin to marry him.

Nico hadn't figured out when or where he was going to pop the question, but it didn't really matter, just as long as Kevin said yes.

***

The race went well until Kevin felt the crunch of another car hitting his, and he knew it was all over after that. At least he got to watch Nico finish in the points.

That night had been a blur of alcohol and loud music, partying the night away as they enjoyed the craziness that was Monaco on a race weekend. It was the perfect end to their anniversary celebrations.

The sun was coming up as they staggered back to their place, looking at each other with loving eyes as they stumbled into the flat. Even though they'd been up all night, there was no talk of sleep.

Nico was hoping to make good on his promise to Kevin that he would tenderly make love to him, and the way that Kevin was dragging his eyes over him said that he was ready.

"Are you just going to stare?" Kevin asked, unbuttoning his shirt one by one, revealing his tattoo with a grin on his face as he slipped out of his shirt, reaching out to help Nico with his, but Nico had a better idea.

Nico ripped open his shirt, sending buttons flying as Kevin growled, the sight of Nico with his torn shirt hanging open was far hotter than he could ever have imagined. Kevin grinned, letting his hands roam all over Nico's sweaty body as he moved closer so that he could lick at his nipples, smile still on his face as he unzipped his jeans, trailing the kisses lower as he pulled them down, freeing Nico's glorious cock.

Kevin wriggled out of his jeans before sinking to his knees, his lips hovering around Nico's cock as he placed little kisses to his hips and thighs.

And then there was a knock at the door.

Nico let out a groan as he put some clothes on, stumbling towards the door, preparing to tell Paul that it was a bad time and he'd have to come back later.

He opened the door and his mouth hung open. It was someone that he'd never expected to see here.

"Alex?"


	24. Alex - 2016

"Alex?"

Nico stared at him, his blond hair was no more than a thin covering of stubble on his head, but the familial resemblance was there. He couldn't remember the last time that he'd seen Alex, how old would he have been then?

He saw him when he graduated from school, he'd have been eighteen then, six years ago. Nico didn't even know what Alex was doing these days, and he felt the guilt wash over him.

"It's been a while, Nico."

"What are you doing here?" Nico asked, and he saw Alex shake his head. Nico feared the worst, but surely he wouldn't have come all this way in person to tell him that one of their parents had died?

"It's good to see you too." Alex glanced down at his hands and Nico saw the light glint off a plain gold wedding band.

"You got married?" Nico bit his lip, and he stood back from the door, this wasn't a conversation to be having on the doorstep.

He showed Alex to the living room, in another life he'd be showing him around the place, telling him all about what he'd been up to, but that wasn't this life.

"Can I get you a coffee?" Nico asked, he just needed to sober up a little if he was going to have to deal with this. There was no sound from the bedroom, either Kevin had fallen asleep, or he had heard what was happening and chosen to stay out of it.

"Sure, thanks." Alex fidgeted with his wedding ring, as Nico had seen many married people do when they were stressed or nervous, a source of comfort even when the one they loved wasn't able to be with them.

Nico thought about sticking his head round but he didn't want to wake Kevin, and he definitely didn't want him to feel pressured into revealing their relationship.

He rushed to make the coffee, his heart racing as he wondered what he was going to say to his own brother. It had been years since he'd said anything more than 'Merry Christmas' to his family.

Nico handed the cup to Alex, sitting across from him on the small chair. It seemed too familiar to sit next to him on the sofa, and they sat in silence, both sipping at their coffee as Nico stared at the ring on Alex's finger.

"When did you get married?" Nico asked, he couldn't believe that he didn't know, but it wasn't a surprise that he hadn't got an invite.

"Last summer, Mia and I, we had a small ceremony, just our parents." Alex stared into his coffee cup, and Nico waited for him to speak. "She's an only child, and I… I didn't know how to get in touch with you."

Nico hung his head, all he had wanted was to be free of his family, but he'd forgotten that Alex was family too. He had been so young when Nico had left, and although he'd told himself that Alex was turning into their parents, he wasn't sure that was true.

"I was going to tell you, but you didn't even call at Christmas this year."

Nico had spent the holiday comforting Kevin, and the days had got away from him. It was New Year before he realised that he hadn't called home, and it felt too late to do it.

"I'm sorry." Nico felt tears well up in his eyes, and he pushed his glasses up so that he could rub at his eyes.

"You got all famous and you just left us behind." Alex's voice wavered, but Nico didn't look up, he couldn't bear to see the tears in his eyes.

Nico wanted to tell him that it wasn't like that, but he wasn't sure that Alex would understand. He used to think about going to get Alex, taking him away from all of that and bringing Alex to live with him. But he was so young, and Nico was so busy with racing that it didn't seem fair.

"All I ever wanted to do was race," Nico said, "I left everyone behind, I haven't spoken to anyone in Emmerich for years."

"That fag that you went to high school with, Dominik, he came round a while back looking for you, asking if you wanted to go to his wedding." Alex smiled, and Nico felt his stomach twist.

He knew now that he'd made the right decision, and the sooner he could get Alex out of his house and on his way back to Germany the better. There would be no more calls at Christmas, he was done with his family.

"I don't remember him." Nico shrugged, he hoped it conveyed indifference, he just wanted the subject to change. He'd fake having to leave for the airport if it got rid of Alex.

"Mum keeps telling everyone that she speaks to you every week. She misses you."

Nico raised an eyebrow, it was typical of his mum to make everything about her, she was so desperate to prove to everyone that she was a good mother and wife, no matter what the reality was.

He realised his coffee cup was empty, and that he should start making his excuses before he said something that he couldn't take back. Nico was just about to speak when there was a creak of floorboards and Nico saw Alex's eyes dart towards the hall. "Got a girlfriend hiding away?"

Nico took a deep breath, and he knew that if he wanted rid of his brother, all he would have to do is introduce him to his boyfriend.

"Honey, my brother's here. But if you have to rush off to work I understand."

*

Kevin had heard the voice at the door, he knew that he shouldn't be listening, but when he heard Alex's name his heart rate shot up and he wondered what he should do. They were on the ground floor, he could just climb out and go for a walk, but would Nico want him around.

He listened as Nico made coffee, and the fact that he didn't bother saying anything to him must have meant that he didn't want him to come out while Alex was around.

Kevin had never felt so conflicted, but he remembered the last time that he saw Alex far too well. It may have been twelve years ago, but it still haunted him to this day.

The faint murmur of voices was too low for him to hear, and his body had the worst possible timing. He really needed to pee. He threw on some clothes, and he opened the door slowly so it wouldn't make a noise.

Kevin was sure that he could sneak along the hall, he was light and the carpets were thick. But he only got four steps before the floorboards creaked.

"Honey, my brother's here. But if you have to rush off to work I understand."

_Fuck, what do I do now?_

Kevin slunk to the bathroom, giving himself time to think as he tried to force his alcohol soaked mind to make sense of it all. Nico never called him honey, was he trying to tell him to stay away?

In the end he just had to see if Nico was okay, and no matter what happened, they would deal with the fallout together.

He looked at his bloodshot eyes in the mirror, ruffling his hair into place as he took a deep breath, and headed for the living room.

Kevin put a smile on his face, hoping that Alex had changed from all those years ago. They were both so young, and with his parents, it wasn't really a surprise that he was like that.

"Kevin?" Alex gasped when he saw him, and Kevin felt his smile fade. He rushed over to Nico's side, and he hesitated before reaching out to hold his hand.

Kevin watched as the anger flared up, Alex's face said it all, nothing had changed.

Nico held Kevin's hand tight, he should have told him to go, be somewhere else rather than dealing with this. He should have told him to go to Paul's, the beach, a café, anywhere but here.

"Fuck," Alex said, his hand trembling as he glared at Nico and Kevin.

Kevin felt his heart race, he wasn't sure how Alex was going to react and that terrified him.

"This is why you've never come home?" Alex asked, staring at Nico. "All those years I thought you just didn't care about us."

There were tears welling up in Alex's eyes, and Nico felt a tear run down his cheek. He should have made the effort to look after his little brother, at least tell him that it wasn't his fault.

"Mum and dad will never accept me, it was easier just to stay away than it was to tell them."

"They're all talk, they don't mean what they say," Alex said, wiping the tears away from his eyes. Nico could see him trying not to cry, to be a man, and it broke his heart.

Nico gave Kevin a kiss on the cheek before letting go of his hand, slowly walking over to sit next to Alex. He reached out to hug him, holding him tight as the tears flowed, both of them crying it all out as they held each other.

"I'm sorry that I left you behind," Nico said, the pain clear in his voice. "You're my little brother and I will always love you."

Kevin slipped out of the room, leaving them to catch up while he made himself a coffee. He didn't know what to think about Alex wandering back into Nico's life. All he wanted was for Nico to be happy, and from what he'd seen, his family didn't make him happy.

The coffee made him feel more human, he wished that he'd got some sleep so that he could deal with it all more easily, but that was life. In the end he made the one thing that he knew would make Nico a little happier.

Kevin wandered back through to the living room with three cups of coffee, and three mug cakes. The tears had mostly stopped and for that Kevin was glad, it broke his heart to see Nico cry.

Nico smiled when he saw the cakes, and even Alex looked more relaxed.

The rest of the day was spent catching up, Alex showed them pictures of his wedding, him and Mia made a beautiful couple. Nico told Alex all about how they met, and there was no trace of anger or disgust on his face.

It seemed that he'd changed a lot since Kevin had last seen him, and that he'd grown up enough to realise that his parents' views weren't right.

Nico seemed happy just to have his little brother back, and by the evening there was more tears as they said goodbye.

"You and Mia should come visit at Christmas." Nico's smile shone out, and Kevin's heart broke all over again at the thought of all those Christmases that Nico had spent alone.

"I'd like that." Alex waved goodbye, but they had each other's numbers now, and Nico had promised to keep in touch.

None of it took away the pain of missing out on each other's lives for all those years, but it was a good start.


	25. Time - 2016

Kevin was smiling, he'd made it all the way to Christmas without stress or drama. His contract with Renault had been signed in September, and he was keeping the same teammate, which made everything easier.

Nico's contract for 2017 had been part of a two year deal, and Kevin could really see the appeal of that, knowing that your future was secure definitely made things easier, and he hoped that if he had a good year, he could wrangle a two year contract for himself, save him having to go through the hassle of hoping and praying that he was good enough to deserve a seat each year.

With all the worrying out of the way, it had meant that he could look forwards to Christmas, not that he didn't always love spending time with those he loved, but this year it was going to be extra special.

His mum was coming to Monaco to spend the holidays with them, and Alex and Mia were coming down to spend a couple of days before Christmas with them before heading off to spend the actual day with Mia's parents.

Nico had been talking to Alex most weeks, and he looked happier about the thought of Christmas than he ever had before.

There was also a ridiculous amount of food in the flat, and Nico had already eaten the marzipan for the Christmas cake, twice.

Nico had even gone all out and decorated the flat, sparkly green tinsel and flashing lights everywhere, which made the place look cheery.

They had one more evening together before his mum arrived, and Kevin wanted to surprise her with cake, an actual Christmas cake that had been baked in the oven, rather than the microwave.

He'd mixed up all the ingredients, and he was spooning it into a cake tin when Nico got home. Kevin was glad that it was going in the oven as Nico wandered in, nothing was safe from Nico when he was hungry, not even raw cake batter.

"Hi gorgeous," Kevin said, glancing up from the dishes as Nico came to stand behind him. He twisted round for a kiss as Nico wrapped his arms around him.

"Hi angel." Nico sniffed the air, and Kevin knew he was going to have to make sure that the marzipan and the icing were well hidden if he didn't want to have to go and buy more.

Kevin arched his back so that his bum was rubbing against Nico's crotch, his hand reaching back to pull Nico closer.

"You're insatiable," Nico whispered, "I thought you'd be satisfied after this morning."

Kevin laughed, Nico knew him better than that, and now that they were on holiday, they had a lot of time for all the fun things that they'd not had time for this year.

Nico was kissing the side of his neck as he pulled down Kevin's jogging bottoms, dropping to his knees so that lick into him, and Kevin put the plate that he was cleaning back into the soapy water, bracing himself on the far edge of the sink as he laughed at the bright yellow rubber gloves.

"Are you ready for me?" Nico asked, thrusting two fingers inside him as Kevin let out a moan, gasping as he felt his muscles clench around Nico, his cock leaking at the thought of Nico's thick cock filling him.

"Yes, now get inside me." Kevin looked over his shoulder, smiling as he watched Nico unzip his jeans, pulling out his cock and giving it a few strokes as Kevin licked his lips.

Nico reached out to where Kevin had left the butter, he hadn't got round to putting it away yet, and Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"You are not using butter as lube." Kevin was almost surprised that Nico hadn't tried to mix food and sex in the past, but given how tidy he liked things, he probably wasn't going to be wanting to get chocolate spread all over the bed sheets.

Nico opened his mouth as though he was going to speak, and Kevin shook his head. "Just no."

Kevin dragged his eyes over Nico, waiting to see what he'd do next, and he watched as Nico pursed his lips, spitting into his hand.

"That is far hotter than it should be." Kevin bit his lip, watching as Nico slicked up his cock before turning around so he could brace himself against the sink. He was still slick and open from their epic love making session this morning and he knew that he wouldn't last long.

Nico kissed at the back of his neck, leaning over him as the tip of his cock pressed against his hole. "I love you."

"I lo-"

Kevin didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, Nico was thrusting into him and it took his breath away, no matter how often they had sex, it always took him a minute to adjust.

"You feel so good around me," Nico whispered, and Kevin felt a rush of lust as his tongue flicked out to tease his ear, his warm breath so intimate and loving.

"You feel so good inside me." Kevin laughed, vibrating around Nico and he felt the cool metal of his glasses pressing against his shoulder as Nico took a deep breath, steadying himself as he grabbed Kevin's hips, and Kevin licked his lips, he was about to have the most amazing three minutes.

Nico withdrew until just the tip was left inside, and Kevin let out a little whine as he waited for Nico to fill him up, pressing in so slowly that Kevin ended up rolling his hips in a bid to make Nico go faster.

"You're such a tease," Kevin said, using his breathless tone of voice that always got him what he wanted.

"That's why you love me." Nico slammed back into Kevin, holding him tight as he kept up the pace, allowing his free hand to reach around to play with the bulge in Kevin's boxers, his thumb swiping over the damp patch as Kevin gasped and moaned.

Kevin felt the warmth of Nico pressing against his back, his talented fingers teasing his cock and balls as he angled himself so that his cock was hitting all the right spots.

"I'm close."

Nico picked up his pace as the smell of cake filled the air, Kevin's body banging against the cupboard door as he shuddered in orgasm, his eyes screwed shut as he clenched around Nico, pushing him over the edge so that they could come at the same time.

"Think you'll be ready for round two later?" Nico kissed at his neck, trailing little kisses

"Don't you mean round four?" Kevin laughed, but he knew that this was their last night for having fun, as much as he would miss making love to Nico for a week, the thought of having sex while his mum was in the flat just took all the fun away.

"Shower time?"

Kevin could hear the grin on Nico's face, and he turned round so that he could kiss Nico, not caring that his wet gloves were dripping everywhere.

"Let me finish the dishes and I'll join you." Kevin grinned and Nico kissed him on the forehead.

"Your mum won't mind if the place is messy," Nico said, pulling up Kevin's jeans, "She'll just be happy to see you."

"I know, but I want to." Kevin just wanted everything to be perfect for Christmas, it was the closest that they would get to spending the holidays with both their families. And from the way Nico smiled every time that he mentioned Alex's name, it was going to be amazing.

***

Kevin was scanning all the arrivals at Nice airport, looking for his mum, and when he saw her he couldn't help but run over to greet her. He held her tight, grinning as the other passengers looked on.

"It's so good to see you, honey," Britt said, looking at Kevin with a smile on her face. There was nothing better than knowing that she was proud of him, that she loved him.

"How was your flight?" Kevin asked, as he led her to the car. She filled him in on all the gossip from home, and he felt a little sad that he wasn't going home this year. It felt like so long since he'd been home, but he would find time before winter testing to go home for a while.

When they arrived in Monaco, Kevin sat in the car with the engine switched off, trying to figure out how to tell his mum what he wanted to tell her in person.

"Alex, Nico's brother, he's coming here for a couple of days before Christmas," Kevin said, looking down at his hands, he wasn't sure if his mum remembered what happened, "He's bringing his wife."

"Oh."

Kevin felt his stomach twist, and he knew that he should have told her the story at the time, but he'd been waiting to see if it had worked out, if Alex had kept in touch. As much as he wanted to believe that it was all going to be okay, a part of his mind had still had doubts.

"He showed up one day, out of the blue, but they talked, and Nico's been much happier lately now that Alex is back in his life." Kevin smiled, it had been nice to hear Nico talk about his childhood, even the bits that weren't so happy. At least he finally felt comfortable talking about it all.

"Does he know about the two of you?" Britt looked at him with concern, Kevin could see what she was thinking, she wanted to know if Alex was like his parents.

"Yes," Kevin said, letting out a nervous laugh, "He was a little shocked at first, but he seems fine with it."

"That's good." Britt let out the breath that she had been holding, and Kevin knew that feeling, he just wanted a nice relaxing holiday for all of them. "It'll be good for Nico to have family around."

"It will," Kevin said, fidgeting with the car keys in his hand, "Nico deserves to have a good relationship with his brother."

Kevin opened the car door, the cool air rushing in. "We should get inside before Nico eats all of the dinner."

Britt laughed, and Kevin helped carry her bags in to the spare room. The smell of chicken filled the flat, and Nico had a smile on his face when he saw Britt.

Nico rushed in for a hug, Britt was like a mother to him, and Kevin wished that Nico could have this with his own parents, but he understood why that wasn't possible. He'd rather that Nico have no contact with his parents, rather than have them still hurting him.

"It's so good to see you," Britt said, pinching Nico's cheeks as he smiled, leading her to the kitchen so that they could catch up over coffee, even though they had spoken only a few days ago.

Kevin went to put his jacket away, and he checked that he had all the gifts wrapped and hidden away at the back of his wardrobe. Just the sight of the glittery wrapping paper brought a smile to his face, and he knew that it was going to be a good holiday.

That night Kevin felt like all was right with the world, the smell of coffee and cake filling the place as they stayed up late and chatted, glad that his family were all together.

***

It was a bright, crisp morning, and Kevin was showing his mum around Monaco, glad that no-one understood Danish so that he could tell her all about their first date at Café du Paris, and she smiled the whole time.

They went for a walk along the beach, Nico was out visiting Paul, and Kevin was glad for the fresh air. Part of the reason for inviting his mum to spend Christmas with them was the fact that the weather was much warmer here, and although he missed the snow, he knew that it was a nice treat for his mum.

"You and Nico seem so happy together," Britt said, glancing around even though they were alone, and the likelihood of anyone speaking Danish was slim.

"We are." Kevin smiled, absently biting at a bit of loose skin on his lip.

"There'll be wedding bells soon." Britt laughed, and Kevin froze, he'd thought about it a lot. He'd even thought about proposing this Christmas, but with all the visitors he didn't want to put Nico on the spot, so he was going to wait until their anniversary.

"I don't doubt it." Kevin looked at his mum and she pulled him into a big hug.

"You'll be the most handsome couple," Britt whispered, before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Kevin blushed, and he could see his mum already planning the wedding. He couldn't think of a better future.

*

Nico was making baby noises as the little one grabbed at his glasses, laughing at the funny faces Nico pulled.

"You're going to be a great dad one day," Laura said, as Nico gave her a funny look.

"It's not that simple for me," Nico said, accepting the fact that his glasses were now covered in baby drool. "I would need to get married, which means being out, and being out to the whole world while I'm racing."

Paul came over to sit next to him, taking the little one back as Nico gently wrangled his glasses free from his surprisingly strong grip.

"And I haven't even talked to Kevin about marriage yet." Nico had thought about it a lot, but he hadn't found the right way to bring it up, so he just hadn't said anything.

"He'll say yes, without a doubt." Paul laughed, and the little one laughed with him, smiling away. "I know it's not easy for you, but when has that ever stopped you doing what you wanted?"

Nico laughed, as he wondered how bad it could be if he was out. But it wasn't just his decision.

***

"I'm going to get Alex and Mia from the airport," Nico said, leaning down so that he could kiss Kevin while he prepared lunch. Britt was watching from the table with a smile on her face, teasing Kevin about how when he left home he could barely make toast without burning it and now he was cooking lunch and baking cakes without batting an eyelid.

"Drive safe," Kevin said, setting the timer as he slid the turkey into the oven, they were going to be eating turkey sandwiches for weeks.

"I'm so proud of you sweetie," Britt said, sipping at her coffee as she reached out for another biscuit.

"I'm still not as good a cook as you," Kevin said, smiling as he washed his hands before pouring himself a coffee and sitting down with his mum.

The hum of the oven seemed loud, and Kevin knew why the air was tense.

"I didn't mean to ambush you with Alex coming over, I just wasn't sure if it was going to happen until now."

"It's a good thing, honey, put the past to rest," Britt said, "Nico deserves to have his family in his life."

Kevin nodded, he wanted it all to go well, but he had a strange feeling in his stomach. He was worried that things would get heated, and Nico would end up more hurt than before.

All he wanted to do was keep Nico away from as much pain and suffering as possible, but he wanted him to have a good relationship with his brother, which meant taking a risk, and hoping that it all worked out.

Kevin jumped when he heard the front door, his heart racing as he prepared to see Alex again. At least this time he was sober enough to deal with it all.

He rushed to the hall, Alex's hair was longer now, and he had Mia in tow, clutching Alex's hand as she looked overwhelmed by the whole situation.

"Hi, it's good to see you," Kevin said, taking Nico's hand as they all stood awkwardly in the hall.

"We can't just stand here all day," Britt said, pushing her way through to give Alex a hug. "Look at you all grown up."

"Hi Britt, you haven't aged a day." Alex smiled, and Britt laughed, diffusing all the tension.

"And you must be Mia." Britt went in for a hug, and Mia relaxed, her brown eyes no longer darting around looking for an escape route.

"It's nice to meet you." Mia was softly spoken, and she pushed her glasses back up on her nose, blushing as she looked up at Britt.

"Dinner's nearly ready," Kevin said, and he shuffled out of the way, returning to the kitchen as Nico showed Alex and Mia to the living room. The sofa folded out to a double bed, and it was comfy enough for the one night that they were going to be staying.

Britt returned to the kitchen, putting the kettle on for everyone as Kevin took a deep breath, telling himself that it was all going to be okay.

"I'll help you carry it through," Kevin said, turning everything down low so that it would keep warm, waiting for the turkey to finish cooking.

Nico went in to steal a biscuit before Kevin could even put the tray down, and Kevin shuffled in next to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek as he saw his mum tense up, preparing for an argument that never came.

Everyone sipped at their coffee, glad for something to break the tension. Britt was the first to speak, and from the look of relief on Mia's face, it was just in time.

"What do you do Alex?" Britt asked, looking at him with a smile on her face. She didn't have to tell him that he was forgiven, her body language said it all, although she was never one for holding grudges.

"I work as a stores clerk for dad," Alex said.

Nico gripped Kevin's hand a little tighter at the mention of his dad, but it faded quick. It wasn't a surprise that Alex had ended up working for his dad, if Nico hadn't started racing, it's what he'd have ended up doing too.

"And what about you, Mia?"

"I work in payroll, that's how we met." Mia smiled, and from the way that Alex looked at her, Kevin knew that it was love at first sight.

"How long have you two been together?" Britt poured herself another cup of coffee, and got comfy as Mia glanced at Alex.

"We've been together nearly four years," Mia said, smiling as she bit her lip. "It's funny how time has flown."

"Do you want to see the wedding photos?" Alex asked, and Britt nodded, sitting on the edge of her seat as Alex scrolled through to find the right photos.

"You both look so lovely." Britt looked so happy, and Kevin knew what she was thinking. "This will be you two next."

Kevin held his hands up. "We're too busy racing," he said, laughing to hide the fact that if that was the only obstacle, they'd be engaged already. But it just wasn't that simple for them.

Nico laughed too, but Kevin could hear the strained quality to it, and he knew that they should really talk about these things. Although it could wait until their guests were gone.

Britt seemed to sense the tension in the room, and she changed the subject. After weeks of worrying, it all went smoothly, and it seemed like Alex and Mia were leaving way too soon. But Nico could never have asked her to spend Christmas here instead of with her parents.

"It's a gift for the both of you," Nico said, aware that it was probably going to be a while before he saw Alex again.

"Can I open it now?" Alex asked, staring at the small rectangular box, too thin to hold chocolates.

"I won't tell Santa if you don't," Nico said, laughing as Kevin cuddled in close, still in his pyjamas, even though it was getting close to lunchtime.

Alex opened the box slowly, and his mouth hung open when he saw what was inside. He showed Mia and she let out a little squeak.

"Nico, this is…"

"You said that you never got a proper honeymoon…" Nico paused, the tears welling up at the thought of missing his baby brother's wedding. "Think of it as my wedding gift to the two of you."

"Thank you." Alex glanced at Mia, both of them still looked surprised, and Kevin was glad that they liked their gift, it had been his suggestion.

Everyone was quiet, as they knew what was coming next. Nico had to take Alex and Mia back to the airport so that they could go spend Christmas with her parents. There were lots of hugs as they said good bye, and Kevin couldn't help but wonder if he should have encouraged Nico to reach out to his brother sooner.

Once they were on their way to the airport, Kevin sat next to his mum, cuddled into her, even though he was far too old to be her little boy anymore.

"That went well," she said, holding Kevin tight.

"It did, it's the best Christmas present that Nico could have wished for."

***

Christmas day was a blur for Nico, he was focused on trying to find the right moment to propose. The ring felt like it was glowing, burning with desire.

Every time he thought about asking, something wasn't quite right, or the moment would pass before he could get the words out.

Kevin looked so happy with his mum, and he didn't want to make things awkward. He didn't want Kevin to feel like he was put on the spot, pressured into saying yes, and by the time they curled in up in bed that night, Nico was conflicted about whether he should ask or not.

***

A day later they were dropping Britt off at the airport, Nico felt like he'd spent more time here than anywhere else lately.

"Promise me you'll come visit soon." Britt squeezed Kevin tight, he would always be her baby boy.

"I will, I'll be home before winter testing starts." Kevin smiled, he'd already booked the flights, although he didn't want to tell her just in case work got in the way.

"I love you."

"I love you too, mum."

Britt waved as she headed towards security, and Kevin waved back until she was out of sight, Nico standing close to him.

Kevin wanted to hug him, hold him close, but there were too many people around. He held Nico's hand the whole way home, and he could feel that there was something on Nico's mind, something that was worrying him.

*

"Talk to me?" Kevin said, "I can see you've been worried for the last couple of days."

"I…" Nico looked at Kevin, cuddled up next to him, both of them comfy in bed watching movies and eating chocolate. It was perfection.

Nico stared into Kevin's eyes, and he knew that this was all that he wanted for the rest of his life.

"Will you marry me?"

Kevin gasped, his mouth hanging open as he wondered how long Nico had been waiting to ask. "All I want is to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Is that a yes?"

Kevin grinned, bringing Nico into a big hug as he whispered, "Yes."


	26. Engaged - 2017

Nico landed in Copenhagen. Denmark was starting to feel like a second home. He'd been at the factory for a few days, and now he was heading towards Britt's house, which really was a second home to him.

He was staring out the window of the train, the barren trees covered in frost and the whole place looked like a winter wonderland. Nico fidgeted with the chain around his neck, on it was a plain silver ring, the ring that would be his wedding ring.

It was a long chain, and it meant that the ring usually sat over his heart, the warm metal a constant reminder of Kevin's love for him.

Nico wondered if Kevin had told his mum about the engagement yet. Kevin had wanted to tell her in person, but now that he was on his way there, he wished that he'd asked Kevin to wait until he was there too. He wanted to see Britt's reaction, he couldn't imagine that she would be anything other than happy for them.

Kevin had the biggest smile on his face when he answered the door, and Nico rushed in for a kiss, the warmth of the house steaming up his glasses as he held Kevin close.

"I've missed you," he whispered, kissing at the side of Kevin's neck as he waited for his glasses to clear.

"I've missed you too."

"Hi, Nico, how was your flight?" Britt appeared at the door, and the smell of cake wafted out of the kitchen.

"Good."

"You're just in time for cake." Britt laughed, and Nico rushed to get out of his jacket, nearly knocking off his glasses as he unravelled his scarf, leaving it all in a tidy pile by the door.

Kevin cuddled up next to him on the sofa, and once everyone was comfy, Kevin reached out to take his hand, intertwining their fingers as he grinned at Nico.

"Mum, we have something to tell you." Kevin blushed as he fidgeted with the chain that had his engagement ring on. "Nico and I, we got engaged."

There was silence, for a second, as the news sunk in, but then Britt smiled, a look of pure joy, and Nico was so glad that he was here to see it.

"Congratulations!" Britt rushed over to hug them both, and Nico knew that whatever happened, Britt would always be there to support them.

They told her the story of the proposal, and Nico could see that she was planning the wedding already, although they were going to have a lot of time to plan. It was definitely going to be a few years down the road before they started thinking about the actual ceremony.

Nico caught sight of a picture from when he had visited that summer, he looked so young, and back then he could never have imagined such a wonderful future for himself, but he was so glad that everything had fallen into place.

***

"Can you keep a secret?" Nico stared at Sergio, they were both in the factory before winter testing, and they were taking a coffee break, after a long morning of meetings with their engineers.

"Yes?" Sergio leant in closer, even though they were all alone in the little office.

Nico pulled out the chain to reveal the ring, and Sergio's eyes lit up at the sight of it.

"Congratulations." Sergio's smile had Nico grinning his big dorky grin that had all his teeth on display. "I'm so happy for you guys."

"Thanks, bro." Nico pulled Sergio into a big hug, he'd known Sergio for so long that he wasn't sure what he would have done if he wasn't happy for him.

Nico and Sergio were still hugging when Brad wandered in, and he raised an eyebrow before getting down to work, going over all the data from the simulator so that they could make sure their 2017 car was ready for testing.

***

Kevin was curled up on the sofa, at home, normally he just met up with Marcus on race weekends, and he always met Dany at his place, so that he wouldn't figure out that he lived with Nico.

He wasn't sure why he hadn't told either of them that he was dating Nico, it wasn't because he was ashamed, plenty of people knew about their relationship, but with them all competing in Formula one together, he'd felt uneasy about telling them.

But now that he was engaged to Nico, he wanted to tell them, it would be nice not to have to watch what he said around his friends.

"So…" Kevin took a deep breath, he was just going to blurt it all out and hope for the best. "I've been dating Nico for nearly five years and he proposed over the winter break and now we're engaged."

Kevin looked up to see Dany sitting with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open, and Marcus was just leaning back in his seat, smiling in such a way that Kevin thought he must not have understood what he said.

"Wow," Dany said, and with his accent, Kevin couldn't tell if it was a good wow or a bad wow. Dany blinked a few times before closing his mouth, and the corners of his pouty lips curled up into a smile. "I'm really happy for you, mate."

"We've known each other since we were teenagers and you forgot to tell me that you've been dating Nico for five years?" Marcus sat up, his voice joking and Kevin was relieved to see a grin on his face, his eyes scrunched shut as he rushed in for a hug.

Dany piled in for a hug, and once they were all comfy on the sofa, his green eyes staring at Kevin, he said, "Tell us everything."

***

Nico was sipping at his coffee, as Paul and Laura stared at him, there had been a little bit of small talk, the usual chat about work, and the little one, but now Nico was going to tell them the big news, and he wasn't sure how they would react.

They'd been friends for so long that he wasn't sure what he'd do if Paul wasn't happy for him.

The silence was growing, the sound of the washing machine spinning in the kitchen, the low crackle of the baby monitor all adding to the deafening roar of silence that was surrounding him.

"I proposed, and Kevin said yes." Nico looked down at his hands, both clasped around the coffee cup as he waited for them to say something.

"I told you it was an engagement ring," Laura said, as Paul laughed.

He should have known that they'd notice it, he wasn't usually one for jewellery, apart from a watch for the sponsors, so the fact that he was wearing a chain all the time now was a big hint as to what was on the end of it.

"Congratulations," Paul said, "I knew that you wouldn't let anything get in the way of what you wanted."

"When have I ever given up without a fight?" Nico laughed, and the little one cried on cue, hearing all the voices and knowing that they were being left out.

Paul returned with his son wrapped up in his arms, sitting next to Nico so that he could say hi.

"You know it's going to be a while before there's wedding bells and little ones, right?" Nico raised his eyebrow at Paul, who was still smiling at him.

"I know, but it will all be worth the wait."

Nico looked at Paul and Laura, both happy with their life, and he knew that he couldn't wait for the day that this was his life, Kevin by his side and their little one sleeping in his arms.

***

The year was flying by, and it was nice that Alex and Mia could come to the German grand prix. It meant that he could tell his brother in person that he'd got engaged, and although he felt a little guilty about not making more of an effort to visit, he wanted to do it all on neutral territory, after the race. For all that he was getting on well with Alex now, it was hard to forget his childhood, and the way his family had treated him.

It had been fun to introduce his brother to Sergio, since they'd been friends for such a long time, and Paul, although that was a little more awkward, since he'd never really told Paul about his family.

On the Monday after the race, the four of them had gone out for lunch, somewhere quiet, but busy enough that they weren't the only ones there. Nico had slipped on his ring, resting his hand on the table as Alex and Mia stared at it.

"You…" Alex leant in close, so that he could whisper, "You got engaged?"

Nico nodded, and when he saw how happy Alex was for him, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Mia let out a little squeal before reaching over the table to hug Kevin, and then giving Nico a kiss on the cheek.

"I think this calls for a celebration." Alex caught the waiter's eye, and he ordered four slices of cake, champagne would have drawn too much attention.

Nico couldn't think of a better way to celebrate with his brother, Kevin sitting next to him, their arms touching since they couldn't hold hands in public, and Nico was sure that their wedding was going to be perfect, because they had friends and family who loved and supported them.

***

The summer break had just started, but instead of being happy, Nico seemed increasingly wrapped up in his thoughts, his brow furrowed as Kevin tried to take his mind off it. But nothing seemed to be working.

Nico hadn't slept well for the last couple of nights, tossing and turning as he mumbled in his sleep. Kevin had stroked the side of his face until he calmed down, settling back into a peaceful sleep as Kevin tried to do the same.

He was just on the verge of dozing off when Nico said something that wasn't just mumbles.

"I just want you to be happy for me." Nico let out a sob, and Kevin knew that he was a having a nightmare.

Kevin sat up, holding Nico as a tear ran down his cheek, and he tried to comfort him, but Nico seemed more restless than before.

"I'm here for you, it's all okay, you're safe here with me." Kevin repeated it over and over again until Nico woke up, dazed and confused, his eyes darting around as he tried to work out where he was.

"You were having a bad dream."

Nico took a deep breath, and Kevin kissed his forehead, feeling him relax under his touch.

"Want to tell me all about it over a hot chocolate?" Kevin stroked Nico's hair off his brow, his body felt clammy, almost feverish, and he pressed the cool side of his hand to his forehead.

Nico nodded, cuddling into Kevin as he took his hand, leading him to the kitchen so that he didn't have to leave him alone. He just needed to see that he was okay, and Nico was glad for the reassurance.

They curled up on the sofa, Kevin holding Nico close as he whispered how much he loved him, and how he would do anything to make him happy.

"Do you want to talk?" Kevin said, and Nico turned so that he could look Kevin in the eyes.

"I feel guilty about not telling my parents we're engaged. For all that I hate them, I still just want them to be happy for me."

Nico hung his head, and Kevin tilted his chin up so that he could lean in for a kiss, the taste of chocolate on his lips.

"I know it all sounds wrong, I shouldn't want their approval, not after what happened." Nico buried his face against Kevin's shoulder, letting out a groan as he tried to make sense of it all. He had wanted a nice relaxing summer break, but his brain seemed to have other ideas. "I want to believe that they're all talk, that if they knew I was gay, they would be accepting."

"Whatever you decide to do, I'll be standing by you."

"I love you." Nico snuggled in closer, his brow no longer wrinkled as yawned.

"I love you too." Kevin showered Nico in kisses, and a flicker of a smile crossed his face before morphing into his organised face, his getting things done look.

"I'll book the flights to Germany."


	27. Returning Home - 2017

Kevin held Nico's hand for the entire flight, glad that the blanket covered them. He wanted to hug him, but it was all too public. With Renault doing better, as well as Force India, they were both in the spotlight a lot more than they were used to.

Luckily it was away from the race weekends, and it wasn't a long flight. The closer that they got to landing, the more nervous Nico got, and Kevin moved in close so that he could whisper.

"We don't have to do this you know, we could just go visit Alex and Mia, or we could head straight back home." Kevin squeezed his hand a little tighter, but he could tell that Nico was unhappy.

"I just want to get it over with, whatever happens, I can live with that."

The flight attendant came on to the speaker, telling them that they were about to land, and Nico took a deep breath. They would have time to spare before they reached his parents' house, although if he was determined to do it, maybe it would be easier just to get it over and done with, deal with the fall out rather than worrying about what might be.

Kevin knew that he was lucky to have parents like his, who loved and supported him no matter what, and he was aware that others didn't have it as easy as him. He wished that the world wasn't like this, people who had children should be willing to love them no matter what, and it saddened him when he remembered that people like Nico's parents existed.

"Whatever happens, I love you and I'll be there for you."

*

The drive seemed to calm Nico, it gave him something else to focus on, but then they were pulling up outside his parents' house, and Kevin felt a shiver run down his spine.

He reached out to hold Nico's hand, not sure who was comforting who, but he pushed away all his memories of that summer. If there was any chance that Nico was going to have a good relationship with his parents going forwards, then they had to leave the past where it belonged.

Nico leant over to give him a kiss on the cheek, and he wanted to tell Nico that they didn't have to do this, but he had a determined look to him. Nothing was going to stop him.

"You don't have to come with me," Nico said, and Kevin felt conflicted, he wasn't sure what would be easiest.

"I'll stay here, but only if you think that's best." Kevin frowned, he wished he knew what to say or do to make this easier on Nico.

Nico shook his head, his blond locks dancing around. "No, I want you there with me."

The walk to the front door felt like eternity, Kevin wanted to reach out and hold Nico's hand, but he didn't want to make things more awkward, so he walked alongside him, hoping that his presence was enough to comfort him.

Nico was glad to have Kevin by his side, he knew that he had friends and family that loved him no matter what, which meant that he was sure he could cope with his parents' reaction. Although he was hoping for the best, he was prepared for the worst.

He knocked on the door, and Nico held his breath until his parents appeared, his blood running cold the second that he saw them.

"Nico?" His parents looked like they'd seen a ghost, and he wasn't sure what to say, it had been years since he'd seen them, nearly a decade.

"Hi."

The atmosphere was awkward, and Nico felt the urge to run, but instead he wandered into the house, conflicted about how to feel. Part of him was almost happy to be home, but the other part remembered why he'd left.

They shuffled towards the living room without a word exchanged, and Nico had to check that Kevin was still following him.

His dad took a seat in his chair, his mum sitting next to him, leaving the sofa for Nico and Kevin to sit on.

"So you remembered that we're alive?" his dad said, and Nico already regretted his decision.

"Who's your friend?" his mum asked, staring at Kevin. Nico hadn't expected her to remember him, it had been so long ago, and he'd changed so much in that time.

"Kevin, remember he came to stay with Alex one summer?" Nico looked down at his hands, fidgeting with them as he tried to work out what to say next. "We were in the area and I thought we could come and say hi."

"You don't come home for nine years, and then you just drop by unannounced?" His mum didn't sound impressed, but Nico could see that she was trying to be nice for their guest.

Nico knew that 'I've been busy' wasn't going to cut it, and he wished that he'd stopped by Alex's place first, found out what he'd told their parents, if anything.

"I saw Alex not too long ago," Nico said, and his parents nodded, he couldn't tell if they knew already, or if they just didn't care. He knew that if he didn't tell them now, he never would, and he would always wonder if they would accept him.

"I have something to tell you. I'm gay." Nico waited for some sort of response, but there was nothing, and he was too scared to look up and see their faces. "Kevin and I are engaged."

"You can't be gay, we didn't raise you that way." His mum folded her arms, and that was it, discussion over in her mind.

Nico snorted with laughter, he reached out to hold Kevin's hand. He was glad that he didn't have to do this alone, their reaction would surely have been worse if he was alone.

"It doesn't work that way." Nico took a deep breath, finally looking up at his parents, but he didn't see disgust, only sadness. "It's nothing to do with how I was raised, I just am. I've known since I was a teenager, and this is me telling you that I am gay."

"We can find you a nice girl," his dad said, "It's all that time around other guys, it's confusing you."

"I'm not confused, I don't need a woman, and I'm happy with who I am. If you can't accept me, as I am, then I don't want you in my life." Nico hadn't wanted to turn it into an ultimatum, but he wasn't going to waste his life trying to get his parents' acceptance when they wouldn't love him for who he was.

"No son of mine will be gay," his mum said, her arms back folded across her chest, there was nothing else that Nico could say to change their minds.

"Fine then." Nico stood, still holding Kevin's hand as they walked towards the door.

A little bit of Nico was expecting them to tell him to wait, that they'd changed their minds, but they seemed happy to let him walk out of their lives.

He stepped out into the warm summer air, Kevin close by him, and he felt free, finally free of them. Instead of feeling guilt, he felt only relief.

*

Nico had got in the car and driven straight to Alex's place, hoping that he'd be home, and that they didn't have plans that they were going to interrupt. But he couldn't bear the thought of being home without trying to see his little brother.

He knocked on the door, and he wondered if he had made things awkward for Alex, although from his parents' response, he was dead to them now.

Alex rushed to open the door, and he didn't look surprised to see Nico and Kevin standing there.

"Mum called, she asked me if I knew that you were going to hell."

Nico snorted, it was typical of her to make it all about herself.

"What did you say?" Nico raised an eyebrow, and Alex only smiled.

"I told her that you were happy, and she should be happy for you." Alex held the door open so they could come in. "And then she hung up on me."

Mia rushed up for a hug, she hadn't seemed the physically affectionate type before, so she must have known what happened. "I'm sorry, you know you're always welcome here."

"Thank you, Mia." Nico had never really thought of her as his sister-in-law, not until now, but seeing how much she cared put it all into perspective.

"We're not interrupting are we?" Nico could smell food, and as much as he needed to know that things were okay with his brother, he didn't want to intrude.

"We were just making cookies, so this perfect timing." Mia led them to the living room, and Nico felt tears well up in his eyes. His parents may not have accepted him yet, but he had so many people around him who loved him as he was.

Nico felt calm now that he had Kevin by his side, and a cookie in his hand, still warm and gooey from the oven.

"You're an amazing cook," Nico said, spraying crumbs everywhere as Kevin and Mia laughed,

"I helped," Alex said, grinning as he made himself comfy on the sofa next to Mia. Nico was so happy that he'd found someone who made him happy, someone that he could make happy.

"I'm sorry for just showing up like this, I knew that if I didn't do it now, I would have changed my mind." Nico reached out for another cookie, Kevin still holding his hand as he sat next to him. "And I'm sorry if this makes things strange with mum and dad."

"Don't be sorry, it's good to see you, even if the circumstances aren't great." Alex held Mia close, looking at her with a smile on his face, waiting until she nodded. "And as for mum and dad, don't worry about that, I can't see them holding a grudge once there's grandchildren in the picture."

"Wow, you…" Nico didn't know how to finish the sentence, he couldn't tell if Mia was pregnant or not, or if they would adopt. He ended up smiling with his mouth open, waiting for someone to say something.

"We're looking at adoption," Alex said, as Nico grinned, "It would be nice to give someone a good home."

"That's wonderful, you're going to be great parents," Kevin said, while Nico was still processing it all. He went over for a hug, and Nico followed, he looked proud of his brother.

"I'm so happy for you guys." Nico couldn't believe that his little brother was thinking of kids already, but he knew that Kevin would have kids already if it wasn't for racing.

"We don't know how long it will take, but we don't mind waiting." Mia sipped at her coffee, looking at Alex with so much love in her eyes, and Nico knew that she would be an amazing mum.

"We will have our fingers crossed for you," Kevin said, and the way he looked up at Nico said it all. "I can't wait until the day that we have kids."

"You are going to be a great dad," Nico said, smiling as he kissed Kevin on the forehead.

"You are both going to be great dads," Alex said, and Nico could picture it all now. In the not too distant future, Alex and Mia's kids playing with their kids, as Britt and Mia's parents doted on them all, one big happy family.

"We are." Kevin cuddled in, his warmth alone comforting, even in the summer heat.

They chatted away, Alex and Mia telling them all about the adoption process, and how a friend from work had recently adopted. As it got later, Nico tried to make his excuses for them to leave, but Alex insisted that they stay, at least for the Sunday, since they were on their summer break.

"We were also wondering if you wanted to spend Christmas with us," Mia said, biting her lip as she looked at Alex, "Britt would be welcome too."

Nico smiled, it was still too early for them to think about plans for Christmas. "That sounds perfect."


	28. Apart - 2018

"He's getting so big," Nico said, watching as Paul's little one ran around the room. "I remember when you first brought him home."

"Feeling old?" Paul asked, sipping at his tea as he munched on another biscuit.

"Yes. No." Nico laughed, shaking his head. "Maybe?"

"When you have one of your own it'll make you feel young again." Paul rested his hand on Nico's knee, and Nico nodded.

"That's a long way off for me," Nico said, although now that he'd talked about it with Kevin, and now that Alex and Mia were on the list to adopt, it all seemed more real.

"I guess you'd have to tell your parents about your engagement first," Paul said, reaching out for another biscuit.

"They know."

Paul gasped, spluttering as he coughed out the biscuit crumbs. "When did that happen?"

"When I was at home during the summer, I'm sure that I told you about it?" Nico had seen lots of Paul since then, and he was sure that it must have come up in conversation.

"You told me that your brother and his wife were on the list to adopt, that you spent Christmas with your sister-in-law's parents, and that was it." Paul looked at him with a strange look on his face, and Nico knew that he'd already figured out how his parents had responded.

"They did not take it well," Nico said, letting out the breath that he'd been holding, "But I wouldn't have told them if I didn't have so many loving and supportive friends."

Paul leant over for a hug, holding him tight, and Nico felt himself relax. He'd been so tense lately, and it had nothing to do with his parents.

"I'm sorry," Paul said, there was something familiar about having his body pressed against his. "But you know that I'm always here for you."

"I know." Nico snorted in laughter, long ago he'd never have thought that he and Paul could have such a good friendship after their casual friends-with-benefits relationship that Nico had taken way too seriously had ended.

"So how's the decision coming?" Paul asked, he'd been tiptoeing around it, January was quite late to be still trying to work out where he wanted to race this year.

"WEC would give me a chance to win races, win championships, but it would mean seeing less of Kevin." Nico had been racing in Formula one for so long that the thought of not doing it anymore was jarring.

"Kevin would tell you to go to WEC." Paul bit at his lip, not so long ago he'd have given anything to race in Formula one again, but the DTM calendar was less hectic, same as WEC, which meant more time with his family.

"I know. He told me to do whatever makes me happy." Nico smiled, having a boyfriend, fiancé, that was a racer meant that they understood, they knew all about the long flights and the weeks away from home.

"Think you could hook me up with some tickets for Le Mans?" Paul asked, cheeky grin on his face as Nico laughed, shaking his head. It seemed like everyone knew what he was going to do before he had figured it out himself.

Nico stuck his tongue out, pushing his glasses back up his nose as he grinned. "Of course."

***

Nico was waiting for Kevin to get home, he'd been at the factory for the day, but he'd managed to get flights that meant he'd just left early this morning, and he was back at a reasonable time.

Dinner was keeping warm in the oven, and Nico had been practicing what he was going to say to Kevin all day. Not that he was worried how Kevin would respond, but because he wanted to make sure that Kevin knew he was doing it for the right reasons.

The sound of the front door had Nico running towards it like a puppy excited to see their master, and he ended up just staring at Kevin, his mouth hanging open as Kevin rushed in for a hug.

"I missed you," Kevin said, standing on his tiptoes so that he could kiss at the side of Nico's neck.

"You saw me this morning," Nico said, grinning as he inhaled the scent of Kevin's hair gel.

"I know, but I still missed you." Kevin laughed, his cheeky grin shining out as he stood back so that he could get a good look at Nico.

"I made dinner," Nico said, pausing as he wondered if now was the right time to tell Kevin, but he didn't want to wait any longer, "And there's something I want to tell you."

"You're going to WEC," Kevin said, smiling as Nico's mouth hung open.

"Yes, how did you know?" Nico was wondering if Paul had given Kevin a heads up, warned him that he might be leaving F1 so that he wasn't as shocked.

"I know how much you want to win again." Kevin held Nico's hands, staring into his eyes. "And that means WEC."

"It does, as much as Force India have improved, it's going to be a while before they're in the running to win a world championship." Nico let out the breath that he'd been holding, ducking down for a quick kiss as he led Kevin to the kitchen, they could talk about the rest of it over dinner.

Kevin was ravenous, and the conversation was sparse, mostly just little noises to let Nico know that he was still listening.

"I've been thinking about something else," Nico said, pushing his glasses back up his nose before moving to clear away all the plates.

Kevin looked at him with a cheeky smile on his face, and Nico sat back down.

"I've been thinking about getting a tattoo."

Kevin gasped, and Nico raised his eyebrows, grinning in the hope that Kevin would say something.

"What were you thinking of getting?" Kevin asked, reaching out to hold Nico's hand, gripping his thumb as Nico pursed his lips, thinking about what he was going to say.

"I don't know, just a little something to remind me of you." Nico smiled, it was the smile that Kevin had fallen in love with all those years ago, and the sight of it made him feel honoured that Nico was a part of his life.

"I thought about all my tattoos for years before I got them," Kevin said, "That's how I knew that I really wanted them, that I was going to be happy with them for the rest of my life."

"I guess you're right," Nico said, leaning in to kiss the end of Kevin's nose, making him blush.

"If you were ready to get a tattoo, you'd know exactly what you wanted." Kevin said, and that was when Nico stopped thinking of him as the teenager that he'd first met, and started thinking of him as his husband-to-be, the future father of his children.

"When did you get so wise?" Nico brushed a strand of hair off Kevin's forehead, gazing into his eyes.

Kevin laughed, smiling as he stared into Nico's bright blue eyes. "I learnt from the best."

***

It had been strange being apart, after so many years together, but they fell into an easy routine, and thankfully it was much easier to get a reliable internet connection now. No longer did they have to deal with Skype video calls ending up all blocky and glitchy, or messages going unsent for days, only to arrive at a time when they caused the most confusion.

Kevin was checking out the angles of the camera on his tablet, making sure that when Nico called he could be ready for action.

He had already got a shower after a long day driving, but the heat was stifling in Melbourne, even though it was only April, and the sun was setting.

Kevin lay out on the bed, waiting for the familiar bubbly ringtone of Skype. After all the years of using it mostly to talk to Nico, which usually ended in sex, his cock twitched at the mere sound of it.

"Hi," Kevin said, the second that Nico's picture appeared on the screen.

"Hi. I missed you."

Kevin smiled, Nico was clearly naked even though the camera was pointing at his face.

"You topped the time sheets in both free practice sessions," Nico said, nodding in approval, "Do you think that's the car's real pace?"

"I think so." Kevin smiled, it was strange to have a car that was good again, it had been so long since he'd stood on the podium, although he'd been close many times last year, but he'd never quite found those final few tenths that would have seen the difference between fourth and third.

"How's testing going for you?" Kevin asked, he'd followed a lot of it through social media between sessions, but it wasn't the same as hearing it from Nico.

"Car feels good, I'm going to win this year." Nico laughed, he knew it was unlikely, but he'd have said the same about Le Mans all those years ago, and he'd won that on his first try. In fact, he'd won pretty much every series he'd ever entered at the first time of asking, except Formula one. But that was all in the past, and he was going to break that streak by winning in WEC.

They were chatting away about work, something that they hadn't done in a while, since both working in F1 meant that they knew what had happened, but then Nico glanced at his watch, it was breakfast time where he was, and he was due back at the circuit today, even though he wasn't in the car this time.

The camera moved down so that Kevin could see Nico's hard cock, already leaking and waiting for him.

Kevin's hand instinctively reached down for his cock, wondering if he should move his tablet so that it was in shot, but he was sure that Nico would rather see his face. He was putting on a show as he stroked himself to climax, spurred on by the sight of Nico's cock as he did the same.

Nico cried out in pleasure, a sound so familiar, even when it was distorted by the speakers.

Kevin came with a moan, his eyes scrunched shut as he felt his whole body shudder, and he felt warm come run down his hand as his breathing returned to normal, the warm fuzzy feeling spreading as he smiled.

"You look so beautiful when you come," Nico said, gasping for breath as he moved in to kiss at the camera. "It's been a while since we did this."

"Just like old times," Kevin said, giggling to himself as he used a tissue to clean up.

"I love you." Nico blew him a kiss, waving goodbye with his sticky hand, grinning as the screen went black.

"I love you too."

***

May came round in a blur of races and airports, even though they didn't get a lot of time together, their new hectic schedule meant that they treasured every minute together.

Kevin had managed to get himself in the lead of the drivers' championship, his teammate only three points behind him. And Nico had won both of the races that he'd had so far, but the big one was coming up, in just a couple of weeks it would be Le Mans, and it clashed with Kevin's F1 race, again.

Nico was at home for their anniversary, but Kevin was going to spend most of the day doing media after a race weekend before flying home late Monday night. It would be early Tuesday morning before he got back to Monaco, and their anniversary would be over by then.

But Nico had a plan.

He was cooking a full three course dinner, all things that that tasted good when they were eaten at two in the morning, which was when Kevin was due back, and all he would want was comfort food after a long flight.

He heard the sound of the front door being opened, just as he was ready to serve dinner, and he rushed to see Kevin looking tired and ready for bed.

"Happy anniversary," Nico said, ducking down for a kiss as Kevin wrapped his arms around him.

Kevin tried to stifle a yawn, and Nico kissed him on the forehead before leading him to the kitchen, where the table had candles on it, and a vase of flowers, with six red roses in it. Nico knew that it was cheesy, one rose for each year that they'd spent together, but he just wanted to do something to show Kevin how much he loved him, even after all these years.

"You did all this for me?" Kevin looked like he might cry, and Nico pulled him into a hug, holding him close as he stroked his back.

Nico felt Kevin trying not to yawn, and he knew that he wasn't going to be awake for much longer.

"How about we eat in bed?" Nico said, heading for the fridge to liberate the sushi that was waiting for them.

"But you did all this," Kevin said, waving his arm at the table.

Nico went over to blow the candles out, smiling as Kevin yawned. "It'll still be here for breakfast."

Kevin stumbled towards the bedroom, Nico guiding him in the direction of the bed as he got undressed, leaving his clothes in a pile on the floor.

Once they were snuggled up in bed, Kevin nestled under Nico's arm, Nico fed him, watching his eyelids droop with every bite.

Kevin let out one last yawn, snuggling in to Nico as he took his glasses off, leaving them by the bed before switching the light off.

Nico listened to Kevin's soft snores, the exhaustion of a long day catching up with him. "Sweet dreams, my love."


	29. Uncle Nico - 2018

Kevin was searching through over six years' worth of photos, smiling as he saw all the wonderful times that they'd had together. He had to pinch himself every time he remembered that they were engaged, and even though they very rarely wore them in public, just knowing that one day Nico wanted to marry him was more than enough to have him grinning.

Time had flown by, and he wanted Nico to have a reminder of all their happy times together.

It was going to be the perfect birthday present.

***

Nico was sitting, sipping his coffee as he stared at the giant trophies. He had never expected to win Le Mans as a rookie, but doing it this year as leader in the championship, felt like an amazing achievement.

He was so glad that Kevin had supported him in his decision to go and race in WEC, it was one of the best decisions that he'd ever made.

"Still admiring it?" Kevin smiled as he came over to sit next to Nico, cuddling in next to him.

Nico laughed, pulling Kevin closer as he kissed at the side of his neck. "Tell me you don't love a man who can go all night?"

"I love everything about you," Kevin whispered, "Although I wouldn't say no to an all-night love making session."

Nico growled, picking Kevin up and carrying him to the bedroom as Kevin giggled. It was so nice to finally have some quality time together. He put Kevin down on the bed, trailing kisses over him as he wriggled out of his t-shirt. Nico loved that Kevin's angel was like a guide to all his sensitive spots, and he worked his way down until he was nuzzling at the tuft of blond hair poking out of his jeans.

Kevin bit his lip, he had a beautiful view of Nico as he unzipped his jeans, pulling them off in one smooth motion, like a magician whipping a table cloth away without breaking anything.

"You are way too good at that." Kevin smiled, shuffling back along the bed so that he could prop himself up on the pillows.

"It's not the only thing I'm good at." Nico pushed his glasses back up on his nose, dancing in time to non-existent music as he teased Kevin. Lifting up his shirt to show off his abs, he waited until Kevin's cock was twitching to take it off, throwing it so that it landed on Kevin, tenting over his hard cock.

Kevin laughed, watching Nico dance around as he tried to wriggle out of his jeans, but he ended up stumbling over them, laughing as he got his feet stuck as they bunched around his ankles.

"So sexy," Kevin said, laughing as Nico shuffled out of his jeans, crawling on to the bed before realising that he'd left his socks on.

Nico laughed, wriggling his toes as Kevin smiled. They'd been together so long that he didn't have to worry about things being perfect, he knew that they were perfect just because he got to share all of it with Kevin.

"I've missed you." Nico stretched up for a kiss, Kevin's lips were a familiar constant, so warm and plump, and always rough from where he bit at them.

"I've missed you too." Kevin's eyes were shining in the early evening light, his pupils wide, and Nico knew exactly what he'd missed the most. Nico licked his lips, his eyes locked with Kevin's as he kissed his way back down, hitting all of the spots that made Kevin writhe in pleasure.

Kevin's cock was leaking, and Nico knew that he wouldn't last long. He wrapped his lips around the tip, soaking up all the gasps and moans as he made himself comfy.

He trailed his fingers over the soft fuzzy hair behind his balls, taking more of his cock into his mouth as the taste of him had his own cock standing to attention. Kevin was grabbing at his hair, encouraging him to go faster as his moans got more desperate.

Nico let his fingers circle his hole as he took all of Kevin into his mouth, gagging as he hit the back of his throat. Kevin came with a groan, shuddering as he held Nico's head tight, making him swallow it all.

"Fuck, I've missed you." Kevin lay gasping on the bed as Nico cuddled in, his hard cock trailing pre-come over Kevin's hip. He yawned, his eyes drooping shut and Nico pulled the duvet over them.

"I'll just have to make up for lost time," Nico whispered, as Kevin smiled, snuggling in closer.

They lay together in each other's arms, Nico's bright, striped socks sticking out from the end of the duvet.

***

Kevin was making cake, and he knew that the second the smell of warm sugary goodness spread throughout the flat that Nico would be awake. Almost as if on cue, Nico wandered through, his naked body a beautiful sight.

"You're going to have to get dressed before your brother gets here." Kevin laughed, and Nico wandered straight to the coffee machine.

Nico didn't speak until he had his coffee in his hands. "I can't believe they're bringing little Lina with them." The adoption had gone through, and Alex and Mia were now the proud parents of a four year old girl. They'd gone to visit for the day not long after she was adopted, but they hadn't seen her again since then. Nico had made a point of video calling at least once a week, and he was loving being Uncle Nico.

Kevin froze, and he could tell that Nico was thinking the same thing. "We don't have a car seat for Lina."

Nico flew into action, gulping down his coffee before heading straight to the shower. Kevin took the cake out of the oven, it smelt like heaven and it was a lovely golden brown colour. At least it would be safe from Nico if they had to go shopping on the way to the airport.

He checked that everything else was in order, by the time they got back it would be the perfect time for lunch. Kevin smiled at the present, hidden in the cupboard so that Nico wouldn't be tempted to peek.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Always." Kevin laughed, rushing up to give Nico a kiss.

*

Kevin had agreed to go into the shop alone, so that they weren't seen together shopping for car seats, but he was overwhelmed by the variety of child car seats that were available.

In the end it took him a while to find the right one, and he wondered if they were cut out to be parents when they couldn't manage one simple thing. But that was a long way off for them, they would have plenty of time to prepare.

They rushed to the airport, and Nico went in to meet Alex and Mia. Now that they were both doing well in their series, they were getting recognised a lot more. Which meant that they couldn't be seen together picking up Nico's brother from the airport.

Long ago when they started dating, staying hidden had seemed like the best plan, the easiest way, but now, it was an inconvenience.

But this wasn't the time to talk to Nico about any of it, so Kevin put on his cheekiest grin, and waited for him to return.

*

The drive back from the airport had been uneventful, and they were just grateful that Lina was sleepy after the flight.

Once they got home, Kevin followed Nico, pretending to be slow because of all the bags that he was helping to carry, but Nico would see the real reason the second that he stepped through the door.

"Surprise!" There were a lot of people gathered, who Paul had let into their flat, while they were out picking up Alex from the airport. The thing with the car seat had been a happy coincidence, and it had given everyone a little extra time to get into place.

Nico looked shocked to the point that Kevin thought that he was going to be angry about him organising a surprise party for him. But given that he hadn't really bothered to celebrate his thirtieth last year, Kevin felt that he should really do something special, to show Nico that there were lots of people who loved and cared for him.

"Oh my god, I can't believe that you would do this for me." Nico had tears in his eyes, and Kevin rushed in to hug him.

"Is this okay?" Kevin whispered, standing on his tiptoes so that he could nuzzle against him.

"I love you so much."

Kevin brushed the tear from Nico's cheek with his thumb, he was so glad to see a smile on Nico's face, that was all that he wanted, to make Nico happy.

"Happy birthday, my love."

Everyone else rushed in with hugs for the birthday boy, and Kevin made sure that Alex and Mia were introduced to Paul and Laura, their little ones eyeing each other suspiciously as they tried to work out if they were friend or foe.

Britt wandered over, and Kevin rushed up for a hug, she'd helped him organise a lot of this behind the scenes, along with Paul.

"Nico looks happy," she said, squeezing Kevin tight. He knew that no matter how old he got he would still be her little boy, even in the near future when he had little ones of his own, he would still be her baby.

"He does." Kevin looked over to see Nico hugging Checo, holding him tight as he picked him up. It was nice that the summer break seemed to have aligned for Formula one and WEC, which had definitely made things easier with getting everyone to come over for the weekend.

Britt leant in close so that she could whisper, "Has he mentioned his parents since he saw them?"

"No." Kevin was expecting Nico to want to talk about it, but after they left Germany last summer, not another word was said about his parents, and if he talked to Alex about them, which he doubted, it was when he wasn't around.

There was a shriek and Kevin looked over to see Lina in her mother's arms, screaming her lungs out as tears streamed down her face. Britt darted over to check on them, escorting them both to the spare room where it would be much quieter.

Kevin tried to look calm while scanning the room for Alex, but there was no sign of him. He wandered through to the kitchen to see Nico eating his birthday cake already, and Alex laughing at him.

"Lina was crying, so her and Mia are in the spare room." Kevin went up to Nico who was licking his fingers clean in a bid to get rid of the evidence.

"Sorry, Lina's still getting used to being around lots of people." Alex blushed, and Kevin reached out to rest his hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to apologise," Kevin said, wandering over to the cake. At least Nico had cut himself a piece rather than biting in to the whole cake. "Would cake make it better?"

"Yes." Alex laughed, a love of food seemed to be a Hülkenberg trait, and Lina was going to be no exception.

Kevin cut three pieces of cake, and then added a fourth when he saw the way that Nico was gazing longingly at it.  

Alex carried the plate through to the spare room as Nico and Kevin followed, and they were all relieved to see that Lina was looking much calmer now that there were less people around.

"Uncle Nico!"

"Hello little one." Nico sat down next to her, hugging her while she was still secure in Mia's arms.

"We're feeling a little better, now that we've got some space," Britt said, moving back so that Lina wouldn't feel crowded again.

Kevin watched Nico offer Lina some cake, and she ate messily, making her uncle proud as she demolished it all. There was a cheer from the living room and Kevin slipped out, seeing how the party was getting on without them.

"Is Lina okay?" Laura asked, as Kevin looked over her shoulder to see Checo playing what seemed to be 'never have I ever' which brought back a lot of memories for Kevin.

"She's just not used to lots of people." Kevin glanced around at the large number of people gathered in their living room, and realised that it was no wonder Lina wasn't enjoying the party.

"We're thinking of taking the little one down to the beach," Laura said, "Get some fresh air, we could take them with us."

"Thank you." Kevin went in for a hug, as the sound of metal crashing to the ground silenced everyone.

Nico's Le Mans trophy had fallen down, and Paul was trying to pick up the pieces.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Paul said, carrying the little one as he thought about crying.

Kevin looked at everyone as he held his fingers to his lips. "No-one tell Nico." He managed to reassemble the bits that had fallen off, and he winced as he looked around, hoping that Nico wouldn't have to find out about this until later. Preferably much later.

Kevin dashed to the spare room to see everyone getting ready for their walk, and from the way that Lina was holding her Uncle Nico's hand, he was going with them.

"I'll be back in a little while," Nico said, ducking down to give Kevin a kiss on the cheek, "Don't open the presents without me."

Kevin laughed, and he was glad that the sound of the party covered the nervous edge to it. "I promise. Have fun."

Kevin blew a kiss to Lina, and she giggled as Mia and Nico led her to the door. Paul mouthed the words thank you as he walked past, and Kevin winked, hoping that Nico could see him in the reflection of his glasses, but thankfully he was too busy doting on Lina.

Once the front door was shut, Kevin bolted for the kitchen, rummaging through the drawers until he found the superglue.

He rushed through to the living room, where Dany was casually leaning in front of the trophy, obscuring it from view in case Nico had decided to look in.

"Thank you," Kevin said, glad that Dany was tall enough to help him glue the little bits back on. Kevin admired their finished handiwork, and it looked exactly the same as the other one.

"How did you get him out of the flat?" Dany asked, sipping at his beer.

"His niece was a bit overwhelmed by all the people, so they've gone out for a walk."

Dany nodded as he watched Jo try to stand up, before being caught by Marcus. "Your teammate is a lightweight."

"Always has been." Kevin laughed, he'd had to help Marcus carry Jo back to their hotel after his first race win.

Kevin went to get a glass of water for Jo, and he left Dany making coffee. It felt strange to be the responsible adult, considering a lot of the people at the party were older than him, and he had a strange thought run through his head.

_This must be what it feels like to be a parent._

Kevin was no longer overwhelmed by the idea, he was ready for the challenge.

*

Nico had turned back into a big kid, playing at the beach as the little ones ran around, kicking sand everywhere.

"You're going to be an amazing dad," Paul said, glancing around to make sure that no-one could overhear them.

"I just worry that I won't be any good at it." Nico hadn't ever said it out loud, but he had been worrying about it. Kevin seemed to be a natural at it, but he always felt a little awkward around children. It wasn't that he didn't like them, he was just worried that he would do something wrong.

In another life, where he'd had a happy childhood he was sure that he'd feel very different about it. If it wasn't for Kevin he wouldn't be considering children at all, but he knew that Kevin wanted to be a dad one day.

"You're good with your niece," Paul said, rousing Nico out of his thoughts.

"That's different, I only see her occasionally." Nico waved at Lina, watching as she built a sandcastle with her dad.

"And you won't be doing it alone, you'll have Kevin, and his mum, to support you."

"I know." Nico smiled, every time he thought of his future, it always included Kevin and kids, along with Britt getting a chance to be the most awesome grandma.

"Trust me, everyone feels a little scared before they become a parent, it's natural." Paul nudged him with his elbow, the closest they were getting to physical affection out here in public, or while Laura was within sight.

"Thank you." Nico took a deep breath, he knew that could give someone a good home, and that he and Kevin had more than enough love to share. Now he just had to make himself believe that he was going to be a good dad.

*

Nico strolled back in, Lina in his arms, and Kevin froze as he waited for someone to tell him that his trophy had got broken, but no-one said a word. Kevin let out the breath that he'd been holding, glad that he had something to distract him with.

"Are you ready for the presents?" Kevin asked, keeping his voice high and bubbly for Lina.

Lina cheered, and Nico made himself comfy on the sofa next to a tipsy looking Checo. The vodka that Dany had brought was clearly Russian, and so ridiculously strong that just one shot had rendered Jo drunk.

Britt and Marcus got everyone coffee, and more cake, which was now looking like there wasn't going to be any leftovers for Nico. Although Kevin would gladly make Nico more cake, he didn't need a special occasion to spoil his fiancé.

Today was one of the rare times that he got to wear his engagement ring, and he smiled every time that he saw it sparkle in the light.

Nico left Kevin's present to last, and Lina helped him open each and every one, admiring his gifts as everyone slowly sobered up.

Kevin squished in next to him, so that he could see his reaction when he opened his gift.

Lina was helping Nico unwrap it, and Nico seemed happy to tear the paper to little shreds, making a mess as Lina looked delighted by all the tiny scraps of sparkly paper.

"Look at this, it's a photo album."

Nico held it up so that Lina could see all of the pictures, and he flicked through it with a tear in his eye, overwhelmed by all the happy memories that they'd had together.

On the first page was a little scrap of paper that simply said – I'll be wearing red shoes.

"You kept it? After all these years?" Nico reached over to hold Kevin's hand, Lina poking at his glasses as she tried to wipe away his tears.

"Yes." Kevin smiled, leaning in so that he could kiss Nico on the cheek.

Nico handed Lina back to Alex, leaving them looking through the photo album as Nico wandered off to the bedroom. Kevin thought that he was just taking a moment to gather himself, but then there was the sound of boxes being pulled out from the back of the wardrobe, and Nico reappeared holding a receipt.

Kevin knew what was written on the back of it the second that he saw it. His number, scribbled on a receipt from Café du Paris, their first date all those years ago.

"You kept it?" Kevin asked, watching as Nico slotted it into the photo album.

"I knew from that first date that we were going to have a future," Nico said, staring into Kevin's eyes, "I knew that we would live happily ever after."


	30. Champions - 2018

The WEC season ended on a weekend that clashed with the Formula one, which was annoying. Kevin wanted to be there supporting Nico, even though no-one knew about them, just being there would have been enough to show how much he was rooting for him.

It was also on while Kevin was meant to be asleep, which meant that he had the choice of being sleep deprived on race day, or not watching Nico race.

In the end, he'd had the race on while he slept, dreaming that he would wake up to see the news that Nico was world champion.

*

Nico had never felt six hours fly by so quickly, one minute he was stepping into the car, and then, in the blink of an eye, he was stepping out on to the podium.

A podium was all they needed to make sure that they won the championship.

Nico couldn't believe it, he'd been so lucky to get the opportunity to race in WEC again, and he was honoured to have Nick and Earl by his side through it all. He felt years younger being back here with them.

He took off his gloves, and he saw his engagement ring staring back at him. It was a comfort just to know that it was there while he was racing, and he'd planned on taking it off for the podium, putting it back on its chain, but it was the closest that he was going to get to having Kevin on the podium with him.

*

Kevin saw all the photos, and the highlights of the race, but the one thing that caught his attention was Nico kissing his engagement ring on the podium.

It had made his heart race to know that even when they were so far apart, Nico was thinking of him, and he spent the rest of the day grinning like a man that had won the lottery.

His fiancé was the WEC world champion and he couldn't be more proud.

***

Two weeks later, it was the last round of the Formula one championship, and Nico had found a way to be there, even if it did involve sitting in the Force India garage.

Thankfully Force India were competing for third in the constructors' championship, which meant that Nico was free to cheer as much as he wanted.

Kevin just had to finish ahead of Jo to win the drivers' championship.

It was looking good until the first pit stop, one of the wheels got stuck, and Kevin lost a lot of time. Nico had to keep smiling even though inside he was screaming, wondering what sort of cruel universe would do that to Kevin. He'd worked so hard and yet it was all going to come down to a stuck wheel nut.

Fidgeting with the chain that had his engagement ring on, Nico watched the rest of the race, hoping for a safety car, even though he knew that he shouldn't be wishing for such a thing.

But then his prayers were answered in the form of an overzealous Red Bull driver, cutting the corner and rejoining the track right where Jo was. Slamming into the side of him, and worst of all breaking his suspension. It was race over for Jo, which meant that Kevin was world champion, no-one else could catch him now.

Nico jumped out of his chair, screaming and cheering, and it was only coincidence that it was at the same time as Checo got round a Williams just before the safety car came out.

There were only three laps left, and it was going to take a lot longer to clear up all the shards of carbon fibre from the track.

Force India had made third in the constructors, and Kevin was world champion. Nico couldn't believe it, after all those years when it had looked like Kevin wouldn't have a future racing, he had finally achieved his dream.

And Nico had been by his side through all of it. He couldn't compute how long they'd been together, over six years, and he couldn't imagine not spending the rest of life with him.

The love of his life had achieved his dream, and Nico couldn't be happier for him.

***

"I'm a little jealous of that trophy," Kevin said, as Nico was admiring it for what seemed to be the hundredth time since he got home.

"It's a pity you aren't allowed to keep yours," Nico said, "We'd have quite a collection."

"We would need a bigger house." Kevin laughed, there was barely space for all the trophies as it was, and there had already been a few near misses with them.

Nico wandered over to Kevin, his arms out for a hug and Kevin snuggled into him. He felt secure tucked under Nico's chin, and he let his hands wander down to Nico's perfect rear, teasing at the elastic on his jogging bottoms.

"You're insatiable," Nico said, his breath warm against his neck. Kevin felt his hair stand on end, and he pressed his body against Nico's.

Nico ducked down for a kiss, the taste of coffee and chocolate on his lips, and Kevin smiled. All they'd done since they got home for the winter was eat and make love, they were making up for the year spent apart. Although they'd made it work, and Kevin knew that their relationship was stronger than ever.

Kevin pulled on the strings of Nico's hoodie, leading him to the bedroom as they both grinned. Nico hadn't even bothered to put underwear on this morning, and he was sure that Kevin would have had the same idea.

After a week at home, they'd become experts at undressing, although it hadn't stopped Kevin tearing a couple of his t-shirts just for the fun of it. Nico had even got the hang of taking off his t-shirt without getting his glasses tangled in it.

Kevin stood at the end of the bed, staring at Nico, he looked so beautiful with a blush on his cheeks, biting on his lip as he waited for Kevin to make the first move. Everything had been so frantic recently, making up for lost time, and now Kevin wanted to take it slow.

He unzipped his hoodie a millimetre at a time, revealing his tattoo, and Nico watched in fascination. Kevin had thought about getting another tattoo, something for Nico, but he wanted it to be a surprise.

Nico dragged his eyes over him, lust in his eyes as he took it all in, and Kevin felt fucked already. He slinked out of his hoodie, letting it fall to the ground in a dramatic fashion, holding his arms when he was done as he waited for Nico to do the same.

Kevin saw the concentration on Nico's face as he tried to take things slow, the sunlight glinting off his glasses making him look even sexier, if that was possible.

Every ripple of Nico's muscles had his heart racing, he wasn't as lean as he had been in the past, and he suited the extra weight. It was also nice that he got to enjoy his food again, a hungry Nico was an unhappy Nico.

"You're gorgeous," Kevin said, trailing his fingers over Nico's abs, watching as they danced under his touch.

"So are you." Nico's smile was all it took to have his cock forming a tent in his jogging bottoms, and he inched them down, letting his cock spring free as he stepped out of them.

Kevin grinned when he saw Nico pulling his joggers down to reveal his erection, pre-come leaking at the tip, and he let out a groan, sinking to his knees as though he was going to worship his glorious cock.

He stared at Nico, fluttering his eyelashes as he stuck his tongue out, letting it hover over the tip of Nico's cock as he stood still, allowing Kevin to tease him.

Kevin savoured the first taste, the rush of the salty, creamy delight that was Nico, and he sucked greedily, taking more and more of him into his mouth. He felt Nico twitch, and he stopped as Nico groaned, making sure that he didn't come yet.

"Want to move this to the bed?"

"No, I want to fuck you on the floor." Nico raised an eyebrow, and Kevin let out a growl. Lying back with his hands behind his head, he waited for Nico to take control, smiling as he sucked on his fingers, and Kevin knew that he was in for a real treat.

Nico bent over the bed, legs spread as he made sure that Kevin had a good view of his arse. He wiggled it for him and Kevin reached down to cup his balls, letting soft mons fall from his lips so that Nico knew how much he was enjoying the show.

Just the sight of Nico looking over his shoulder at him was so hot, and Kevin had to keep his other hand behind his head so that he couldn't get himself off without Nico.

Nico was trailing his fingers between his cheeks, biting on his other hand as he locked eyes with Kevin, teasing the fluff around his hole before sliding a finger in.

"Fuck, you're so beautiful," Kevin said, biting on his lip as he watched Nico finger himself, grinding against the edge of the bed as he slid another finger in.

"You like this? Watching me stretch myself open for your big, fat cock?"

Kevin nodded, words had failed him, and he found himself patting his thigh to tell Nico that he was ready for him.

"You're going to feel so good inside me." Nico straddled Kevin, grinning as he ducked down for a kiss, his hand wrapping around his cock as he lined it up with his hole.

"You look so good with a cock in you." Kevin nuzzled against Nico's neck, holding him tight as he sank down onto his cock, clenching and relaxing around him as he took a deep breath.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Kevin giggled, stroking Nico's back as he started to move, sitting up so that he could ride him. The carpet was rough against his back and he groaned in pleasure, the sight of Nico towering over him as he threw his head back, gasping for air as he picked up the pace. His cock was leaking, the tip purple as he slammed their bodies together.

Kevin reached out for Nico's cock, delighting in his gasps and moans as he wrapped his hand around him, stroking in time with his thrusts. He reached up to stroke the side of his face, waiting for Nico to open his eyes before giving his cock a sharp tug, sending him over the edge as he cried out in pleasure, clenching around him as he milked every last drop of come from him.

Nico's come had landed on his chest, glinting in the light where it had splattered over his angel, and Kevin filled in the lines of his tattoo with Nico's come, making sure that Nico was watching him as he spread the sticky mess over his body.

"My angel." Nico ran his fingers along the angel's wings, making Kevin shudder all over again as he felt the aftershocks of his orgasm run through his body.

Kevin sucked his fingers clean, moaning as he tasted Nico, and the way that Nico's muscles fluttered around him said that he was loving it every bit as much as he was.

"My champion," Kevin said, sticking his tongue out as Nico ducked down for a kiss, the change in angle forcing his half hard cock out and making them both gasp at the loss.

Nico trailed sloppy kisses down the side of Kevin's face, letting him catch his breath as he nibbled at his earlobe, sending sparks of pleasure through his body. And then Nico said something that took his breath away.

"My champion, my love, my future husband and father of my children. I love you more each and every day, and I want to spend the rest of my life by your side."


	31. Grey Hair - 2019

Nico was admiring his reflection in the mirror when he saw something worrying.

A grey hair.

He couldn't tell if it was a trick of the light or not, and he tried to get closer to the mirror, but he only ended up bumping his head against it, cursing his glasses that pressed up against his nose.

Kevin wandered through, wondering what the smacking sound was, and he saw Nico with a red mark on his forehead, looking thoroughly confused at his reflection.

"I found a grey hair," Nico said, ducking down so that Kevin could see the top of his head as he tried to point it out.

Kevin's fingers stroked at his head, and Nico felt himself relax, but then they stopped, running over a single strand of hair. The grey one.

"It's just one grey hair," Kevin said, kissing the top of his head as Nico let out a little groan. "You're thirty-one, and it's just something that happens as you age."

Nico let out a groan, and Kevin kneeled on the floor so that he could hug him, and Nico felt a little silly.

It was just jarring to see physical evidence that he was getting older, he still thought of himself as twenty-one, travelling around the world and racing, not thinking of the future.

But lately, he'd been thinking about the future a lot more.

"How does some coffee and a mug cake sound?" Kevin asked, kissing Nico on the nose as he smiled.

"Sounds perfect."

Nico had followed Kevin through to the kitchen, watching him make coffee and cake was almost pornographic as he moved effortlessly around the room, piling lots of goodies into the mug before putting it in the microwave.

The first sip of coffee had Nico feeling human again, and the cake was exactly what he needed to put a smile on his face.

"I've been thinking about the future," Nico said, unable to look up from his cake as Kevin reached out to hold his hand. "Do you want children?"

"Yes." Kevin said it without hesitation, but Nico felt him tense, clearly worried about why he was bringing it up now. "Do you?"

Nico took a deep breath, finally looking up at Kevin who had lines across his brow, and Nico reached out to stroke them with his thumb. "Yes, I want children."

Kevin smiled, rushing around the table for a kiss, and Nico couldn't stop smiling, this was a beautiful moment. Nico waited for Kevin to get comfy on his lap, feeding him little bites of cake as he figured out how to tell Kevin.

"This place isn't big enough for children," Nico said, and Kevin nodded in agreement, "And I'm not sure that I'd want to raise them in Monaco."

Kevin's eyes narrowed, and Nico could see him figuring out where he was going with this.

"I thought it would be nice to raise them in a place where we have family around to support us, and maybe even someone to help out on weekends when we both have a race."

"Emmerich?"

Nico had thought about it, with Alex and Mia there, their little ones and Lina could play together, but his parents would be there, and the thought of living near them again hadn't sat right with him.

"No, Roskilde." Nico watched as Kevin grinned, letting out a little squeal before hugging Nico so forcefully that he felt the air being squished out of his lungs.

"Really?" Kevin was bouncing with joy, and Nico wondered why he'd waited so long to tell Kevin about it, but he'd wanted it to be a surprise.

"Yes, and I've got a woman on the inside that's been looking at houses for us." Nico smiled, leaning in for another kiss as Kevin held him tight.

"Mum's been helping you with all this?" Kevin's cheeky grin shone out, and Nico was glad that Britt hadn't dropped any hints, it was so nice to see Kevin so excited.

"Yes, and she's very good at keeping secrets when she wants to." Nico laughed, she'd been keeping Kevin's secret for a very long time now. "How about we go up this week and see if we can find the perfect family home?"

Kevin looked thoughtful. "I've got something at the end of the month, but that would give us a few days to go house hunting."

"I can't wait," Nico said, leaning in for more kisses, "I'm so excited."

***

Nico had been relieved to find out that the estate agent showing them around the houses was a friend of Britt's that she'd gone to high school with, Trine, which meant that Kevin and he could go and look at them at the same time without worrying about being outed.

Although that was soon to be less of an issue if they had children together, it was only a matter of time before the world found out that they were together. But Nico wanted that to be something they were in control of, rather than the media working it out and ambushing them with it.

The first house had been nice, but it only had a small garden, and Nico had always pictured having somewhere with a nice big garden for their children to play in.

House number two was at the edge of town, but it was the other side of town from Britt, and although that wasn't too far away, Kevin had hoped that he would be close to his mum when he moved home.

Nico could tell that he'd missed being home while he was living in Monaco, and he was glad that they could start this new part of their lives somewhere that Kevin felt happy.

"What do you think?" Britt asked, but she could tell from the look on their faces that they weren't quite sure about the house.

"Are there any others to see?" Kevin asked, and Nico nodded in agreement. They were both wearing their engagement rings, and it felt comforting to have the metal pressed against their skin, a wonderful reminder of their love.

"There's one more," Trine said, flicking through her file, "But it needs a little bit of work."

Kevin looked up at Nico, and Nico smiled, he knew how much Kevin liked working with his hands, it was something that he missed doing while they lived in Monaco, since the place was part of a block. He'd come home to do bits for his mum over the years, but it wasn't the same as fixing up a place that was his own.

"Let's go see it." Nico reached out to hold Kevin's hand, letting go as they walked outside. It was strange the things that he missed, for all the time that he got to spend with Kevin, he still longed for the simple pleasure of holding hands.

The third house looked run down, but sturdy, and from the outside it seemed like a lick of paint and hacking down the weeds would be enough to make it look pristine.

Inside was a different story, it was going to need a lot of work. Both the kitchen and the bathrooms needed replacing, and the walls were in desperate need of new plaster.

"Floor boards seem sturdy enough," Kevin said, prodding them with his foot.

"It's structurally sound, but it's in need of a lot of love," Trine said, "But on the plus side, it's bigger than the other two houses. Four bedrooms and two bathrooms."

Kevin rushed over to the cracked patio doors, and Nico added the fact that the windows and doors all needed replacing to the mental list of things that needed doing.

"Look at this," Kevin said, and Nico rushed over. There was a sizable garden, with weeds as tall as Kevin, and a beautiful view of the sea, the end of the garden was the start of the beach. Plus Britt lived just five minutes away from here.

Kevin had his nose pressed against the glass, staring out at the sea as he smiled.

This was the one.

Nico took his hand, and Kevin led him through the house, telling him all about what he had planned for the place.

"All the bedrooms are such a good size, I can build wardrobes into each one," Kevin said, running his hands along the dusty wall. "And it'll be nice to have a spare room, if Alex and Mia want to come and visit."

Kevin's face lit up and he rushed through to what was going to be their bedroom. "There's a balcony."

Nico could picture it now, sitting out in the mornings, cup of coffee in hand, the sea breeze wafting in and the sound of the waves crashing against the beach.

It was perfect.

"Do I even need to ask if you're happy with this one?" Nico said, ducking down to kiss Kevin on the forehead, holding his hands tight as they stared at each other.

Kevin grinned, and that was all the answer that Nico needed.

"I think your mum's friend is going to be very happy about this." Nico laughed, picking Kevin up and swinging him around, this was definitely cause for a celebration.

And then he remembered that they were going to have to pay for it.

"What's the asking price?" Nico asked, scanning the information leaflet that Trine had given them.

Kevin pointed at the figure, and Nico was glad that they could afford it.

"Three and half mil, should just be able to manage that between us." Nico nodded, and Kevin snorted with laughter.

"It's in Danish Krone," Kevin said, "So, it's about four hundred and fifty thousand euros."

"Oh, we can definitely manage that." Nico blushed, he'd spent so long dealing in euros that he forgot not everywhere in Europe used it. Kevin and Britt had always just paid for things when he was visiting.

Trine was standing in the doorway with her mouth hanging open, and Nico smiled. All the years of not being paid by teams, all the struggles he'd had to find sponsors, it was all worth it, because now he could buy a house for his future family.

"I think we'll take it," Nico said, and Kevin let out a little squeal of joy. Britt rushed in to hug them both, and Nico felt like he was home.

*

Filling in the paperwork had been time consuming, and it was going to take a few days for such a large sum of money to transfer, but that was all that needed to be done. The house was effectively theirs.

That night, they celebrated with Britt and Trine, dinner at a local restaurant, and although a couple of people recognised them, no-one came up to bother them while they were eating. Neither Kevin nor Nico had taken their engagement rings off, and if anyone noticed, they were too polite to say.

It felt like everything was falling into place, and now they just had one last thing to do before it was perfect.

***

Filling in the adoption forms had taken a lot longer than the paperwork for the house, and there were many more interviews and meetings to come after that.

"Are you happy with all of this?" Kevin asked, as they signed the last page of the thick application form.

"Yes, I know that you'll be an amazing dad." Nico leant in to kiss Kevin, but he could feel the tension in his lips. "And whatever happens, I love you, even if now isn't the right time for us to adopt."

Kevin smiled, it had crossed his mind a few times, wondering how he would feel if they said they couldn't adopt. But it had to be the right thing for everyone, including their future little ones.

No matter what happened, he'd be cool Uncle Kevin to Lina, and Kevin was sure that more of their friends would be settling down and having families of their own soon.

"We're going to be amazing parents, and I know that we can give someone a loving home."

Nico crossed his fingers, even though he didn't believe in luck, it symbolised all of his hope for their future.


	32. Change - 2019

Kevin was working away on fitting the new kitchen, in their new home. They were slowly moving things up from Monaco, as they made the place more habitable, and there was always Britt's house for hot meals.

Nico could tell that she was thrilled to have her baby home, and Kevin seemed a lot happier to be back in Denmark. Although part of that was having a whole house to renovate, and it was all theirs.

Every spare moment that they had was spent here, and Nico was hoping that he'd be able to sell his flat quickly, although in Monaco that wasn't going to be too difficult.

The hardest part for him would be boxing up all of his things to be shipped here, he was a bit of a control freak, and the idea of entrusting someone else with his possessions didn't sit right with him.

But there wasn't time for him to make the epic journey from Monaco to Roskilde, not until the winter break, and he was hoping that he'd have his flat sold by then.

Nico sipped at his coffee, glancing at the cake that Britt had brought them, and he knew that it would be all gone before lunchtime. He was trying to resist, for no other reason than he still had a few race weekends left, and he needed to fit into his race suit.

Kevin started drilling away, and Nico slipped outside, the cool autumn air sending a chill down his spine. He glanced down at his phone, and he saw a message from Paul.

                The sold sign is up at your place.

                _Really?_

                Are you happy about it?

                _Yes._

                But…

Nico shook his head, trust Paul to realise that he wasn't completely happy about it. He started typing, but it was a long message, and he knew that it would be easier just to talk to Paul.

The phone didn't even have a chance to ring before Paul picked up, and Nico launched into what he wanted to say.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with all of my things, but I'm not sure I trust any of the shipping companies not to break things. And it's going to be the winter break before I get a chance to drive it all myself."

"I can store it in the basement at mine." Paul laughed, and Nico realised that it was the most logical answer. It would be easy for him to move things to Paul's, and then that would give him time to sort it all once he was done racing for the year.

"Thank you."

"What are friends for?"

Nico felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he chatted away to Paul for a little while, until he realised that there was no banging, sawing, or drilling happening in the house.

Kevin had been unstoppable, and he felt his blood run cold as he said bye to Paul while he rushed into the house.

Nico was wide eyed and frantic looking when he rushed into the kitchen, and he saw Kevin leaning against the worktop with his back to him.

"Are you okay?" Nico went over, his eyes scanning for any sign of injury, but then Kevin turned round, and he had the biggest grin on his face.

"The adoption agency called, they want us to come in."

They'd been for their final interview, so now they were just waiting on their decision, and from the way Kevin was smiling, it felt like it was going to be good news.

Nico rushed in for a hug, holding Kevin tight as his hair tickled at his nose, the smell of sweat and sawdust seemed to be ingrained into Kevin after all the work he'd done on the house.

"When?" Nico asked, once the rush of the good news had worn off.

"Monday," Kevin said, standing on his tiptoes so that he could kiss Nico. "You're not flying out until the evening right?"

"Yes, I'll have to check that I've got a suit with me." Nico found his mind rushing to make a list of all the things that he was going to have to do, but Kevin reached out to hold his hand, giving it a little squeeze as Nico felt himself relax.

"It won't matter what we wear," Kevin said, "Whatever happens I'll be by your side, forever."

"I love you." Nico wasn't sure that he would cope as well as Kevin if they said that they couldn't adopt right now. But he knew that it had to be right for everyone, including their future little ones.

"I love you too." Kevin dragged Nico into a messy kiss, their bodies pressed together as he rubbed up against his half hard cock. "It won't take me much longer to finish the kitchen."

Kevin gave him one last kiss on the cheek, before returning to work on the kitchen. The sink was already in place, the sealant drying as Kevin finished fitting the rest of the worktops. By this time tomorrow they were going to have a fully functional kitchen.

Nico wandered upstairs, wondering what colour they were going to paint the kids' rooms, and a smile crossed his face when he thought about having children running about the house.

The bathroom was immaculate, Kevin had worked on that first, which meant that they didn't have to keep nipping round to his mum's for a shower. And that they could have sex in the shower.

Nico smiled, they hadn't actually had sex in their new house yet. They'd both been so busy getting it ready to live in that by the end of each day they'd been too exhausted.

He admired their bedroom, all freshly painted, with new carpets and a sparkling clean window that luckily someone else had fitted. As much as Kevin was skilled with his hands, fitting the new windows had looked difficult, especially for the ones higher up.

"Nico?"

Kevin's voice drifted up, and Nico rushed down to the kitchen, admiring Kevin's hard work. It still needed some paint, and lino for the floor, but the actual kitchen was in, and it looked amazing.

"You are so talented." Nico rushed in for a hug, holding Kevin tight, and he knew what he could do to reward him.

Nico picked Kevin up in his arms, waiting for him to wrap his legs around his waist before carrying him to the shower. They wasted no time in stripping off, leaving their dirty clothes in a pile as the water warmed up.

Kevin groaned as the warmth of the water ran over his aching muscles, and Nico set to cleaning him as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The way the soap suds ran down his body had Nico's cock standing to attention, and he sank to his knees which such speed that Kevin asked if he was okay, before seeing his lips positioned over his cock.

Nico reached up to hold Kevin's hand, the other one was tangled in Nico's wet locks, massaging his head as he took all of Kevin into his mouth, savouring the taste of him and the hint of lemon that was left from the shower gel.

It didn't take long for Kevin to be coming hard, gasping and moaning as Nico swallowed it all down.

They curled up in each other's arms, the thick blanket protecting them from the chill of the air, and Nico knew that he was home.

***

The train to Copenhagen gave them time to relax before their meeting with the adoption agency. They had both worked hard yesterday, so that the house looked almost liveable, just in case they were cleared to adopt. Although they would have to finish the place before they could come and inspect it again. Last time they'd seen it all they had done was check that there was space for the children.

Nico was heading back to Monaco tonight, it would give him a day to sort out all of his things and move them to Paul's before the new owners got the keys.

It was going to be a rush, but it would all be worth it in the end.

Nico looked across at Kevin, his leg jiggling as he stared out of the window. They were both wearing their engagement rings, and Nico reached out to hold his hand, not caring that there were other people around.

Kevin relaxed, and Nico felt at ease, although he couldn't shake the feeling deep down in his stomach, the one that kept wondering what if the adoption agency said no.

When they finally arrived they were told to wait, and Nico sipped at his coffee even though his stomach was churning.

"It's all going to be okay," Kevin said, as Nico sat his cup down, the coffee attacking him as he felt his heart rate soar.

"Hi, I'm Felix, if you'd like to follow me." Felix was a similar height to Kevin, and his hair was equally blond, swept up in a similar hairstyle.

Once they were in the office there was the usual pleasantries, but Nico couldn't focus, only the feel of Kevin's hand holding his kept him grounded.

"There's just one thing that needs to be addressed before you can adopt," Felix said, flicking through their file, "You said that you were about to get married, is that right?"

"Yes," Kevin said, showing him the engagement ring.

"You have to be married to adopt." Felix shuffled some more papers, and found out a picture of two children. "The good news is that we have two children waiting for a home, siblings."

Nico stared at the picture, and Kevin smiled, he looked so happy.

"They're in a foster home at the moment, and we'd be looking to place them in a permanent home in the new year."

"That's great," Kevin said, his smile shining out as Nico tried to figure it all out. He could only think of one thing.

"How on earth are we going to organise a wedding in just over three months?"


	33. Wedding - 2019

Nico could hear Kevin talking, but none of it was going in. Kevin reached out to hold his hand, bringing him back to reality with a jolt. The buzz of the airport was familiar, and Nico felt at ease.

"It'll be easy." Kevin smiled, and Nico bit his lip, he remembered Paul planning his wedding, and easy wasn't the word that came to mind. "I made a to-do list."

Nico peered over to see Kevin's phone screen, and the first item on the list had him raising an eyebrow. "Tell the world?"

"Once the paperwork for the marriage licence is in, it'll be a matter of public record," Kevin said, reaching out to hold Nico's hand. "Surely it's better to tell everyone ourselves? Rather than let the media make up whatever story they want to go with it."

"You're right." Nico leant in for a kiss as Kevin scrolled through the rest of the list, he was so organised, and he definitely took after his mum in that respect. "There's one thing missing."

Kevin peered at the list, it was long and detailed, and Nico could see that he was frantically wracking his mind for what he could have forgotten.

"We need to go sample wedding cakes." Nico laughed, and Kevin added 'try wedding cakes' to the list.

The flight to Nice was announced, and Nico scribbled his signature at the bottom of the form for the wedding licence. Kevin was going to drop it in to the registrar's office tonight, and that would give them plenty of time to deal with everything else.

  1. _Tell the world_



Paul was waiting at Nice airport, and Nico was glad that he had peace and quiet to talk to Paul on the journey.

"We're going to come out at the Japanese grand prix," Nico blurted out, waiting for Paul to say something.

"I'm happy for you." Paul reached out to rest his hand over Nico's, before focusing back on the road.

"And we've set a date for the wedding." Nico fidgeted with his zip, wondering how they were going to manage to get everything done so quickly. "December nineteenth."

Paul whistled, and it summed up exactly how Nico felt. He nodded even though Paul couldn't see him, and he found his hands gripping his knees for no reason other than the nerves building up.

"There's two children looking for a home, but we have to be married, so we have to do things quickly." Nico heard how it sounded, it seemed like it was a practical decision, when even without children in the equation he'd want to marry Kevin. "Neither of us want a big wedding, and as long as Kevin's there by my side, I don't mind where or when we get married."

"Aww." Paul nudged Nico, and Nico was glad that the road was straight here. "Anything you need, I'll be here to help."

"Thanks for doing all this." Nico was truly grateful that he had a friend like Paul, and it reminded him that he had to call Checo to tell him the good news. He was going to have to make a list of everyone that he wanted at the wedding.

"Anytime, we never use the storage in the basement, so it's all yours for as long as you need it." Paul pulled into the parking garage for his block, and Nico took a deep breath.

"Thank you, I'll have it all out as soon as the season ends, I just don't trust the shipping companies." Nico shook his head, his life would be so much easier if he just trusted other people a little bit more.

"You always were a bit of a control freak." Paul laughed, and Nico smiled. He knew it was true, and he was trying not to let that side of him take over, but it was hard sometimes.

Paul wandered round to the boot, taking out Nico's bags as he checked that he had the car keys to lock up. "Have you had dinner?"

"Yes, at the airport, but I wouldn't say no to more." Nico laughed, and Paul joined in, somethings never changed.

Dinner was nice, and it was fun telling the little one all about the upcoming wedding. He hadn't been around to go to his parents' wedding, and from the way his eyes lit up when Nico told him about it, he was sure that the little one would make a great ring bearer, and he could help Lina carry the flowers too.

There was no doubt in Nico's mind that Lina would have a role in their wedding, if she wanted to, although that left him with a difficult decision. Who should be his best man? At least he had time to think about that.

*

Nico woke to the sound of his phone buzzing, the flat was eerily quiet, and when he saw the time he realised why. Paul was taking the little one to school, and Nico felt old, he couldn't believe how time had flown.

"Checo?" Nico scrabbled around for his glasses, and he heard Checo's voice echo through the phone.

He looked at the screen to see that he'd pressed the video call button, and Checo was sniggering at the picture of Nico's ear that he'd been watching while Nico figured out what was going on.

"Did I wake you?" Checo laughed, and Nico let out a little grunt. "I can call back later?"

"No, I have news for you." Nico used the small image of his reflection to run his fingers through his hair, as Checo shook his head, the streaks of grey now prominent in his dark mane. "We've set a date for the wedding. December nineteenth."

"Congratulations!" Checo kissed at the screen and Nico laughed, wondering what he was going to tell him, but in the end he told him everything.

"So by the new year, I'm going to be happily married, father of two, getting ready for another year of racing." Nico bit his lip, but it couldn't hide the smile, he was thrilled about it all, and he couldn't wait.

He just had to relax and not worry about the little details, which was easier said than done.

*

Nico was staring at the last of his possessions, all the things that he hadn't got a chance to move yet. It was mostly photos and racing mementos, so many fragile things, and he was glad that he was going to get a chance to move them all up to Roskilde himself, with the added bonus that he could take his own car up.

He still smiled every time that he saw the Porsche, his reward for winning Le Mans that first time, and he definitely didn't trust anyone else to drive her up to Denmark.

Paul was putting his Le Mans trophies into boxes, and he tried to keep the worried look off his face. He pushed his glasses up his nose, and Paul only laughed.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful with them." Paul laughed, and Nico was too busy worrying about everything that he needed to do to hear the nervous edge to it.

"I know you will." Nico smiled, stuffing the last of his clothes into a bag, he was going to take them to the race weekend with him, and then home.

Kevin had already cleared out all of his things, although apart from a couple of photos, it was mostly clothes that he'd had here. Nico had never noticed that until they starting moving, and he wondered if he should have offered to move up to Roskilde sooner, but Kevin had never brought it up.

With the wedding looming, Nico knew that he was just overthinking their relationship, but he couldn't help himself from wondering if he was good enough for Kevin.

"Are you leaving the furniture with the flat?" Paul asked, and it jolted Nico out of his thoughts.

"Yes, it's too bulky to move, and most of Kevin's relatives have made sure that we have enough furniture to get started." Nico couldn't believe how lucky Kevin was to have such a loving and supportive family, although Alex and Mia had offered to come up and help, but with the little one, it was probably easier if they only came to visit once the place was finished.

"There's space for some of it, if there was anything sentimental?"

Nico shook his head, all his good memories were stored in one place. Wherever Kevin was.

The place looked barren without any mementos, bereft of all the happiness that people brought it, and he wished the new owners all the best. He hoped that they would have as many happy memories of the place as he did.

It didn't take long to get everything moved to the basement storage area at Paul's, and Paul said the magic words.

"I think it's time for coffee, and some cake."

***

The Japanese grand prix was the perfect weekend for them to announce their relationship to the world. Neither of them wanted to make a big deal of it, so Kevin had got Nico a pass to the Renault garage, and they weren't going to watch how affectionate they were in public.

Nico was looking forward to every second. Although he'd been to many F1 race weekends since he left the series, he'd never got to be in Kevin's garage, showing his support for the love of his life.

They were planning on strolling into the paddock together, holding hands, and leaving everyone to figure it out from there.

Nico had polished up both of their rings, making sure that they would sparkle in the light, and he grinned every time that Kevin's ring caught his eye.

"Are you ready to do this?" Nico asked, picking at his breakfast as Kevin wolfed his down.

"I've been ready for a long time." Kevin smiled, reaching out to hold his hand on the table. It was nice not to have to check that they weren't being watched, and it felt like a thrill.

Nico wondered why they'd waited so long to do it, let the world see their relationship, but he was glad that they both felt secure enough to do it now.

*

Kevin's palms were sweaty and Nico could feel his heart thumping in his chest as they strolled into the paddock. He felt like all eyes were on him, although while he was holding the hand of the reigning champion, on his way to clinch his second world championship, it was more than likely true.

The usual assortment of fans wandered up for autographs and selfies, but no-one mentioned the fact that they were holding hands, and Nico relaxed.

They made it half way to the garage when the media descended like moths to a flame. At first it was just Ted and Will, who were likely to be the most understanding of the press, but then others followed over to see what all the fuss was about.

The questions were unrelenting, and Nico couldn't see who was asking what.

"Are you a couple?"

_No I'm just holding his hand for the fun of it._

"How long have you been together?"

_Seven years, wow, time has really flown._

"Are you married?"

"Not yet," Kevin said, winking at the assembled crowd as he smiled at Nico. Just that smile was enough to put Nico at ease, and he fidgeted with his glasses before ducking down for a chaste kiss.

The chorus of cute noises was reassuring, and Nico was relieved, for all he'd been putting on a brave face about it, he was worried that other people he knew would react like his parents.

Nico looked up to see smiling faces, Will and Ted rushing in for a hug to congratulate him, and he felt at ease.

There was no more hiding, and he was loving every second of it.

*

Kevin was lapping up the attention, and Nico spent the whole weekend grinning, so proud of his future husband as he raced his heart out.

There was an added tension to being in the garage, actually hearing Kevin on the radio made everything more vivid, and he was on the edge of his seat for the entire race.

Six laps to go and Nico could already see Kevin standing on the top step of the podium, taste the champagne that he would kiss from his lips.

Every lap felt like torture, time moved differently when spectating compared to racing, and he was perched on the edge of his seat as the lap counter ticked down. The final lap had Nico holding his breath, and when Kevin crossed the finish line first he screamed his lungs out, making sure that the whole world knew how proud of Kevin he was.

Nico rushed down to parc fermé and he had to work his way through to the crowd to get near Kevin, but it was worth it to get a kiss, the taste of sweat on his lips, the adrenaline surging through his veins as he felt the warm metal of Kevin's engagement ring press against his palm.

"I love you," Nico whispered, but it was lost in the cheering of the crowd, and Kevin was ushered away to be weighed.

As Kevin stood on the podium, the Danish national anthem ringing out as he grinned, Nico felt at ease with the world.

Kevin blew him a kiss from the podium, holding up his engagement ring for the whole world to see.

Everything was perfect.

  1. _Find wedding location._



Kevin shut the laptop as Nico held his coffee out of the way. The WEC season was done, and Nico had come second in a valiant battle to the end. But the internet didn't quite see it that way.

"Don't read it." Kevin sat down next to him as he put the laptop down, and Nico let out a groan.

"I just don't know why people have to bring my sexuality into it." Nico reached out for the now-cold slice of toast that he'd left sitting, and it made him scrunch up his face in disgust. "I didn't come second in the championship because I'm gay, it was because we got taken out in Le Mans on the first lap."

Kevin nodded, he'd watched it all unfold, as though time had slowed while Nico's car was clipped from behind, causing him to spin, and then be taken out by another competitor. He'd limped the car back to the garage, but it was beyond repair, and he got to watch the rest of the remaining twenty-three hours and thirty-eight minutes from the pit lane.

"It'll die down." Kevin leant in for a kiss, and Nico felt his body relax the second that Kevin's lips touched his. Nico heard the electronic sound of a camera taking a photo, and he looked over to see Kevin taking a photo of them, smiling as he posted it for the whole world to see.

_So proud of my future husband, next year you're going to be champion again_ _❤_

"I mean every word of it," Kevin said, "I'm so proud of you, and I love you."

"I love you too." Nico snuggled in under Kevin's arm, letting him rest his chin on his head, even though it was squishing his glasses against his nose, he felt safe and loved in his embrace.

"Mum wants to go scout out wedding locations today, there aren't really many places in Roskilde so it shouldn't take long." Kevin laughed and Nico smiled, looking at his scruffy pyjamas.

"When is she coming round?" Nico asked, at the same time that there was a knock on the door.

Kevin laughed and he headed down to let his mum in while Nico rushed to throw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie. He was sure that he looked tired after a night spent reading all the moronic comments that people had left about him, but he was glad that Kevin had stopped him, and that he was going to have the rest of the day to take his mind off it all.

Nico rushed down once he was dressed, and he gave Britt a hug before heading straight to the coffee machine. He'd thought that being home and in the same time zone on a regular basis would have made it easier to settle into a routine, but he was still adjusting after a hectic year.

"Hi, thanks for helping us with all this," Nico said to Britt, now that the coffee had kicked in he could manage whole sentences with a smile, and his smile grew when he saw that she'd brought cake for them.

Britt smiled, and Nico knew that she'd have been hurt if she wasn't involved in the wedding planning, but he was still eternally grateful for her support.

"How many people are you thinking of inviting to the wedding?" Britt asked, taking out her notepad and pen even though Kevin had shown her how to use the feature on her phone many times, but Nico knew that there was an almost blissful sense of satisfaction from using actual paper to write on now that it was a novelty.

"Um…" Kevin looked at Nico, at the same time as Nico looked at him for an answer.

"Not too many?" Nico said, shrugging as he bit his lip. He hadn't thought any further than his brother and his wife, and a couple of his closest friends. Although he really should invite Nick and Earl.

Nico's smile stretched into a grimace, and he held up ten fingers. Kevin laughed, nodding as he went to get another cup of coffee.

Kevin was staring out of the window, coffee cup in hand, and Nico thought that he was just overwhelmed by all the planning for the wedding.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Nico asked, wandering over to give Kevin a hug. And then he saw what Kevin was thinking.

They had just finished clearing the garden, and they'd put in a small patio as well as a path to the gate at the back, so that they had even easier access to the beach. It was a large garden, and there was more than enough space to have at least fifty, if not a hundred, people seated there.

Nico wrapped his arm around Kevin's waist, giving him a kiss on the back of his neck as he pictured their garden filled with flowers, and guests.

"That was easy," Britt said, smiling to herself as she took a bite of her cake. "Wedding venue – the house."

  1. _Invites_



The guest list had been small, until Kevin added his family, but since they all lived nearby there was no way that they could have a wedding without them. Kevin's dad was bringing Luca and Millie, and Nico felt old remembering the two little children that he'd met at Le Mans.

The invites were hand written, on thick card, and Nico felt like it was all coming together. The rough feel of the card made it all seem real and Nico smiled to himself as he wrote out the addresses on the envelopes.

He couldn't remember the last time that he'd actually sent paper mail, although this was all for show since he'd already told everyone that they were invited, but it was fun doing it this way, and it gave the proceedings a sense of tradition.

Once they were all done, Kevin paused as he looked at the stack of invitations.

"Is there anyone else you want to invite?" Kevin asked, and Nico knew exactly who he was referring to.

He'd thought about inviting his parents, but he wasn't sure he could deal with them if they actually decided to come. Nico had kept telling himself that they wouldn't want to come anyway, so he was just saving everyone the hassle, but a little bit of him wanted his parents there. It was just the way things were, parents were meant to go to their children's wedding.

Nico took a deep breath, and he found out the number that Alex had given him, their parents' number. He had it in case of an emergency, although if things were that bad, his parents were the last people that he'd want around.

"I'll call them." Nico exhaled, and Kevin moved closer on the sofa, reaching out for Nico's free hand so that he could hold it. Kevin was glad that Nico had relaxed a bit, but he knew that he wasn't going to fully relax until after he'd spoken to his parents, and even then Kevin was sure that he wasn't going to be completely calm until after the wedding.

Kevin could hear the phone ringing, and Nico's palms were sweaty. Just as he thought that no-one was going to answer, there was his mum's voice, and Nico froze.

"It's okay," Kevin whispered, and Nico bit his lip, shaking his head as he tried to figure out what to say.

"Kevin and I, we're getting married." Nico paused, waiting for his mum to say something but there was no response. He looked at his phone, to check that the call was still connected, and the little timer was counting up.

"I would like you to come," Nico said, and it made him feel strange to admit that, after all that had happened, a little bit of him still wanted his parents to come to his wedding. He still had hope that they would change, that they would accept him. "But only if you can be happy for us."

Nico was hoping that this would make them see that it wasn't a phase. He was serious about Kevin, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him.

"I will never be happy that my son is a fag."

Nico hung up.

"Fuck them." Nico laughed, he wasn't sure what he expected, but he knew that he was better off without his parents in his life. He was surrounded by people who cared for him, who accepted him for who he was, and for that he was eternally grateful.

As long as he had Kevin by his side that was all that he needed to feel loved and safe.

"The wedding is going to be amazing," Kevin said, drawing Nico into a big hug, "No matter who we have with us, as long as you're there it will be wonderful."

"I love you." Nico kissed at Kevin's chest, snuggling closer as Kevin stroked Nico's hair.

"I love you too."

Kevin giggled, and all the tension in the air was gone. "I should go post the invites, and then get packing, I want to win the championship in style."

Nico smiled, he was going with Kevin for the last race of the season, since he was free, and it meant that they could celebrate his second world championship together.

Kevin was glad that he'd had the wedding planning to take his mind off of it. He knew that racing was fickle, and although he had a fifteen point lead over Jo, anything could happen.

At least Nico would be there by his side through it all, no matter what happened with the race.

  1. _Move Nico's things from Monaco_



Kevin raced his heart out, and he won the title by just three points, but that was enough to make him world champion for the second year in a row.

Nico had rushed up to parc fermé and given Kevin the biggest, most over the top kiss before he was ushered on to the podium.

The gala was later that evening, and Nico couldn't wait to be there by Kevin's side. Last year he'd had to sit at home, only a few messages for support, but he was going to make up for lost time.

With all the celebrations, and the team congratulating Kevin, it didn't leave a lot of time for them to get ready. And it definitely didn't leave time for Nico to congratulate Kevin, preferably in a way that involved little to no clothes and a lot of noise.

Nico adjusted Kevin's bowtie. He looked perfect in his suit, his cheeky grin setting more lines into his face, and Nico loved each and every wrinkle. They were a beautiful reminder of every happy memory that they'd had together.

"You look really handsome," Kevin said, reaching up so that he could push a strand of Nico's increasingly grey hair behind his ear.

Nico blushed, and he ducked down to give Kevin a kiss, the taste of champagne still there even though he'd brushed his teeth.

"I'm so proud of you," Nico whispered, stroking Kevin's back as he tried not to mess up his suit, but his fingers were teasing at his waistband when Kevin stepped back.

"We really have to get going." Kevin pouted for effect, and Nico laughed, holding Kevin's hand tight as they headed off to the gala, they were going to have the rest of the night to have some fun, and it was only right that Kevin got his time to bask in the spotlight after winning two world championships in a row.

Nico had been surprised how accepting most people they knew in the paddock had been. Although he was aware that his own parents had set the bar low for him, but he was glad that the vast majority of people were like Britt, kind and accepting, rather than the hateful minority that his parents belonged to.

They strolled into the gala holding hands, smiles on their faces, and Nico wanted to scream to the whole world how happy he was.

People all swarmed over to Kevin, a seemingly never-ending stream of congratulations and questions. Including a few about the wedding, which Kevin was deliberately vague about. As much as they liked people, the idea of having a huge wedding made Nico's heart pound, and given that it wasn't too hard to find out where they lived from the marriage licence, they didn't want any fans deciding to show up unannounced.

"So are you eloping over the winter break?" Ted asked, and Nico bit his lip, it was definitely the easiest way to explain their plans without hurting anyone's feelings.

"Pretty much," Kevin said, his cheekiest grin on display, and he winked at Nico, his playful nature hiding the little white lie that they'd let Ted believe.

Nico squeezed Kevin's hand a little tighter, and now that they had got that out of the way, they could focus on enjoying the rest of the evening.

It had been nice to see Kevin up on stage, thanking everyone that had supported him through his Formula One career, and his mum, and dad.

Nico was starting to think that he'd forgotten about him, but then he heard the words that brought tears to his eyes.

"And last of all, I want to thank Nico, my future husband, for standing by my side and supporting me, even when my career in F1 looked shaky, he was there for me."

Nico sniffed so that people wouldn't see him crying, hoping that his glasses and the glare of the lights would hide the tears that were welling up.

Kevin rushed back to the table with his trophy, handing it to his race engineer as he rushed in to hug Nico.

"I'm so proud of you," Nico said, he knew that he'd told Kevin the same thing many times lately, but he didn't want him to forget it. After all that Kevin had been through, all the struggles to stay in Formula One, it was all worth it to be standing here now.

They partied late into the night, the team celebrating their win as constructor as well as Kevin's drivers' championship.

By the time that they stumbled back into their hotel, Kevin was on the verge of falling asleep in his arms, and Nico undressed him before tucking him up in bed, kissing him on the forehead as he wrapped himself around Kevin.

"Sweet dreams, my champion."

***

Two flights and short drive later they were back in Monaco, and they spent a day sleeping off the jet lag and generally catching up on the sleep that they had missed lately in Paul's spare room.

There was something nice about waking up to the sound of Paul and Laura getting the little one ready for school, and Nico saw the smile on Kevin's face.

"Are you excited about having our own little ones?"

"Yes, I can't wait to go meet them this week." Kevin smiled, snuggling in closer as he wrapped his arms around Nico. But then he froze. "How do you feel about it?"

Kevin sat up, and Nico rolled over so that he could find his glasses. "What's wrong?"

"Do you still want to do this?" Kevin's smile had faded, replaced by the lines on his forehead as he bit at his lip.

"Yes, of course." Nico reached out to hold his hands, staring into his eyes as he tried to stifle a yawn.

"If you don't, now is the time to say so, before those children get their hopes up." Kevin looked like he was on the verge of tears, and Nico pulled him into a big hug, resting his chin on his head as he held him tight.

"I want to, as long as you're there with me, holding my hand through it all." Nico laughed, and he felt Kevin relax. It wasn't just Kevin that had promised to help him through it all, Britt and many others had all volunteered their support, and their children were going to be raised with so many loving aunts and uncles that they would never feel unwanted.

"You're a great uncle, and you're going to make a great father." Kevin sat back so that Nico could see the smile on his face, and Nico knew then that they were doing this for all the right reasons. Kevin had only the children's best interest at heart, even if that meant not getting to be a dad.

There was the sound of the front door opening and closing, Paul was back from dropping off Laura and the little one, and Nico knew that they should get moving if they wanted to get back to Roskilde before sunrise tomorrow.

It was an eighteen hour journey, but between the two of them, and the fact that Kevin could sleep anywhere and at any time, they were just going to drive without stopping, taking short breaks just to get food.

All being well they should be back by four in the morning, but knowing the roads through Germany they were likely to hit roadworks and delays.

"I'm making breakfast if you want some," Paul called from the kitchen, and Nico's eyes were wide open for the first time since he'd woken up.

Kevin laughed, pulling on his clothes as he made sure that he'd packed everything so that they were ready to go after breakfast.

Nico had told him that there were only a few boxes that needed moving, along with his two giant Le Mans trophies, but his Porsche had more than enough space for it all.

They were sitting around the table, sipping their coffee and munching toast as Nico smiled.

"I thought I would miss Monaco, but I don't really." Nico smiled as Paul pointed at himself, and Kevin snorted in laughter. "I miss you, and a few other people, but I still see you."

"And we'll be visiting once the little ones are settled," Paul said, and Nico knew that it was probably going to be the summer break before they were having visitors, although their racing schedules were a big factor in that.

Nico also knew that there was a trial phase, for lack of a better term, to their adoption arrangement, where if it didn't work out, the children would go to another family. And that broke his heart just to think about it, but he was determined to do everything in his power to make sure that their kids would have a loving and stable environment, and with their careers that was going to make things a little bit harder for them.

He'd read a lot of parenting books, and his e-reader was filled with them, but they'd all helped calm some of his fears that he would be a bad parent just because of the way that his own parents raised him.

Having Britt to talk to about all of it had been a blessing, and Alex and Mia had told him everything about what it was like to adopt, including what it took to help Lina settle in.

"Isn't that right, Nico?" Kevin was staring at him, and he had no idea what he'd said.

"Yes?" Nico saw the frown on Kevin's face, and he knew that he'd picked the wrong option. "No? I'm sorry, I wasn't listening, I was thinking about all the things that we still have to do before the wedding and then what we need to do to help the children settle in."

Kevin laughed, shaking his head as he reached over to hold Nico's hand. They had a lot going on right now, and Kevin was glad that the wedding had to be organised before they got to adopt, since both of them required a lot of time and attention.

"We should get going while Nico's still fit to drive," Kevin said, chuckling to himself as Paul laughed along.

"Thank you for letting us stay, and for everything else." Nico hugged Paul tight, his attention drawn by the grey hairs that were multiplying at his temples, and he was relieved that he wasn't the only one who was fighting a losing battle against them.

Paul helped them load up the car, and he waved goodbye as they drove off into the bright morning sun, soaking it up while they had the chance.

*

Nico was watching Kevin sleep out of the corner of his eye, his soft snores a comforting reminder that he was still there, and the way that his hands twitched as he dreamt was adorable.

He drove for hours until his stomach rumbled, and he pulled in to the next service station that they passed. Luck was on his side, and there was a McDonalds, which now that the season was over, he could enjoy his meal without worrying about fitting into his race suit.

Nico reached over to stroke the side of Kevin's face, hoping that it would be enough to wake him, but he just curled up against the side of the seat, his hands clutching at the seatbelt as he made himself comfy.

"I'm going to get food," Nico whispered, leaning over to give Kevin a kiss on the cheek, "I won't be long."

Kevin was still asleep when he returned with an excessive amount of food for two people that he was probably going to eat alone. Just as he was finishing the last chip did Kevin wake, and he looked at him apologetically.

"I did try and wake you," Nico said, and Kevin reached out to rest his hand on his knee. "I'll stop at the next place so that we can get dinner.

Even though Nico had only finished eating less than an hour earlier, there was something different about eating when he didn't have to drive at the same time. He savoured every bite as Kevin ate quickly, and it wasn't long before they were back in the car, a bag full of snacks slung on the backseat as Kevin prepared to take over for the home leg.

It was half one in the morning when Kevin yawned, and he could feel his concentration slipping. He pulled over at the lay-by and woke Nico who had been dozing for several hours.

"Are you okay to drive?" Kevin rubbed at his eyes, and Nico took his glasses out of the glove box.

"Sure." Nico leant over for a kiss, letting Kevin slide into his lap before squishing over to the driver's seat. It probably would have been easier just to get out of the car and swap, but Nico could feel the chill in the air, even with the car heater on, it was still cool and it was going to get colder still as they drove into Denmark.

Nico pulled his jacket off the back seat, it was too bulky to drive in but it would keep Kevin warm.

Kevin was glad to have the scent of Nico wrapped around him, and he drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Heading home for the final time this year.

*

Nico pulled up outside their house, the sun wasn't up yet, but the sky was getting light.

Kevin was sound asleep, and Nico carried him up to bed, leaving the boxes to be unloaded later. He got Kevin's shoes off before realising that the house was cold, the heating had been switched off while they were away.

Nico tucked Kevin into bed, still wrapped up in his hoodie as he cuddled up to the pillow. He slid in behind him, nuzzling against the back of his neck as he drifted off to sleep, the sweet smell of Kevin's hair making him dream of cake.

  1. _Try wedding cakes_



Nico woke up in an empty bed, and there was the sound of people moving around the house. He sniffed the air, and the sweet scent had him rushing to find his glasses and pull on some clothes so that he looked at least vaguely presentable.

His sense of time was a little bit funny after travelling for so many days, and although he remembered talking to Britt about the last few things that they needed to sort before the wedding, he couldn't remember what date she'd said, or what day it was today.

"Nico, how are you feeling after all that driving?" Britt said, and Nico sat down in the living room that was now filled with his boxes, waiting to be sorted, although there was two weeks before the wedding.

"Not too bad, it's nice to be home." Nico tried to sniff the air so that he could work out what type of cake was cooking, and Britt laughed.

"It's a mixture of cake types, but you're going to have to wait for them to be cooled and iced."

Nico put on his best fake pout, and his stomach grumbled in agreement.

"There's bread that's only fit for toast," Kevin said, and Nico nodded, heading for the kitchen after he'd collected up the coffee mugs. They were going to need a lot of coffee if they were going to be in full-on wedding planning mode today.

He looked through the mail that had piled up while they were away. Most of it was bills or junk, and he was just about to set it all down without looking at them when something clicked in his mind. One of the logos looked like the logo for the adoption agency.

The kettle boiled and Nico poured the water into the cafetière, leaving it to brew as he opened the letter.

"Fuck."

The coffee was long forgotten about as Nico rushed through to the living room, waving the letter even though Kevin couldn't read it while he was holding it.

"The adoption agency, they're coming to visit today." Nico was sure that he looked frantic, but he thought that he'd have more time to tidy the place.

"They said they'd call first." Kevin's eyes were wide and he rushed to find his phone, trying to see if there was any messages.

"What needs cleaning?" Britt asked, and Nico glanced around at the boxes piled up everywhere, remembering the dishes that needed cleaning from all of Kevin's baking.

"The dishes." Nico rushed over to hug Britt, and she gave him a quick hug as he took a deep breath, calming himself so that he was actually useful.

"I'm going to move all the boxes to the garage, they can be sorted from there."

Nico gave Kevin a quick kiss on the forehead, the excitement and nerves making his heart race as he mentally tried to list all the things that they needed to sort in the next two and a half hours.

It didn't take him long to get all the boxes stacked up in the garage, and he tried to think what else needed cleaning. When was the last time that he vacuumed? Nico couldn't remember, so he set to making sure that all their carpets were spotless when another worrying thought charged to the front of his mind.

Childproofing.

They'd got a few things that had been given to them by relatives, but there was more that they would have to do to keep the little ones safe.

Nico switched off the vacuum, slumping down against the wall as he let out a groan.

Kevin ran through with a cloth still in his hand, and the smell of bleach wafted over from the bathroom.

"What's wrong?" Kevin reached out to touch him, but then he looked at the gloves on his hands and backed off.

"There's so many things that we haven't done yet, like make the place safe for the children." Nico shook his head and Kevin peeled his gloves off so that he could hold his hands.

"They're not looking at that," Kevin said, staring into Nico's eyes, "If the visit with the children tomorrow goes well, then we will have plenty of time to check that everything is safe before they come and live with us."

Nico took a deep breath, and he could see the concern in Kevin's eyes. "I'm okay, it's just a lot to deal with right now."

"I know, and I'll be standing beside you through it all." Kevin kissed Nico on the end of the nose, making him smile, and Nico let his head fall back against the wall.

"I thought that all this would be easy compared to racing, but there's just so much to do."

"Mum can organise the rest of the wedding, she's already sorted most of it." Kevin laughed, but he was so grateful that his mum was helping them with it. "All we have to worry about is what cake we want."

Nico laughed, he wasn't sure how he'd got this far, but he knew that he would get through it all, because Kevin was there supporting him. "I want all the cakes."

Kevin rested his forehead against Nico's and in that instance all was right with the world.

"You go get a shower," Kevin said, in a tone of voice that Nico knew wasn't to be argued with, "And I'll make sure that there's not frost on the paths."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

*

Felix spent less than fifteen minutes checking out the house, and Nico felt silly for getting all stressed about it earlier. Kevin held his hand the entire time, and by the time that they all sat down in the living room to discuss what would happen when they met the children tomorrow, Nico was much calmer.

Britt disappeared back to the kitchen after pouring everyone a coffee, and pushing the plate of cake in Nico's direction.

Felix took out a file and started writing things down, but he glanced up to see Nico peering at him, his nervousness clear for all to see.

"Don't worry," Felix said, scribbling a few things down, "It's just the form to say that the house is fit for the children."

Nico nodded, fidgeting with his glasses as he reached out for the cake, before deciding against it. He was sure that it wouldn't give Felix the most flattering impression of him, and when he was in comfort food mode he was a messy eater.

"When will you be back?" Nico asked, and Felix shook his head.

"That's the last home inspection," Felix said, "Unless there's any major work that you're still planning to do?"

"No, that's it done," Kevin said, and the smile on his face helped push all of the worries out of Nico's mind.

"We need to go over a few things before you meet the children." Felix handed them a picture, and Nico felt his stomach twist. Neither of them looked happy, it looked like they had been forced to sit still for a school photo, although given that they weren't of school age, the photos were most likely from the court case.

"What happened to them?" Nico asked, his hand trembling as he felt his heart pound.

Felix looked down at his file. "As I'm sure you know, most children need adopted as a result of neglect or abuse."

"We know," Kevin said, "The course told us all about it."

Nico nodded, he'd thought that having to do an online course before they were cleared to adopt would set his mind at ease, but it had only raised more questions, and it he was glad that Kevin seemed to have more faith in their parenting abilities.

"When you meet the children, we don't want you to focus on that," Felix said, "We want it to be a nice and stress-free meeting, where they can get to know you."

Felix found out a sheet, and handed it to Kevin, since he seemed to be the one taking the lead.

_Lise, 5, and Mathias, 3._

Kevin read it all, but Nico couldn't his eyes to focus, and he looked up to see Felix watching him.

"Don't worry about taking it all in, their foster parents will be happy to tell you everything tomorrow." Felix smiled, and Kevin let out a little laugh. "Mathias is a little bit shy, but with love and stability he will learn to build positive relationships."

Kevin nodded, and Nico realised that he'd been gripping his hand so tightly that all the blood had been squeezed out of it.

"I'll be there for the meeting, along with their current foster parents."

"Why aren't they keeping them?" Nico asked, and the second that he'd finished speaking he regretted it. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

"They have their own child, and there has been, issues, since the siblings are so close, but at the same time it wouldn't be fair on Lise or Mathias to split them up, so the ideal solution was to rehome them together in a place where they would be the only children in the home."

Felix reached out to hold Nico's hand, and Nico was sure that his worry was written all over his face.

"We have to do what is best for Lise and Mathias, and I will still be supporting them after they are placed, so that they have some continuity."

Nico nodded, and Felix smiled at him.

"I will tell you one thing. If we didn't think that you would make good parents, there is no way that we'd be sitting here, and there is definitely no way that we'd let you meet the children without being sure that you can be a positive influence in their lives." Felix gave Nico's hand a little squeeze and Nico smiled. Just knowing that someone impartial thought that he would be a good parent put him at ease.

"Can we bring anything tomorrow?" Kevin asked, and Nico was glad that Kevin seemed more comfortable with it all.

"If you bring food, it will be the foster parents' decision if the children can have it or not," Felix said, "Routine is important, and we don't want to upset that."

Kevin nodded and Nico realised that they were going to have a lot of spare cake to share with them.

"If you have any other questions, just send me a message, but apart from that, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thank you," Nico said, standing up so that he could walk Felix to the door.

When he wandered back into the living room, Britt was there, listening to Kevin tell her everything.

"How do you feel?" Britt asked, and Nico took a minute to let it all sink in before he answered.

"Excited."

***

Nico had forced himself to eat breakfast, and as the time approached, he could feel his nerves returning. Kevin seemed more at ease with it all, which Nico was slightly envious of now. He'd always thought of himself as laid back, but now with the adoption, and the wedding, which had been mostly left for Britt to deal with, he realised that he wasn't as calm as he led people to believe.

They had put all the spare cake in a tub, although that was mostly to stop Nico eating it on the way there.

Kevin had driven, since he knew the area so much better than Nico did, and it didn't take them long to be pulling up outside a nice house on the outskirts of Copenhagen.

"Are you ready to do this?" Kevin asked, reaching out to hold Nico's hand.

"Yes." Nico smiled, leaning in for a kiss as he stroked the side of Kevin's hand with his thumb.

Each step closer to the house saw Nico's blood pressure skyrocketing, and he had to remind himself that he was going to be a good parent.

Nico held his breath as the door opened, and he saw a happy smiling couple standing there, and he could hear Felix's voice coming from nearby.

"Hi."

"Hi." Kevin handed them the box of cake, and they all stared at it.

Nico didn't know what to say, and it was clear that everyone else felt the same, but then Felix appeared.

"Hi, come in."

They left their jackets and shoes at the door, the cool December air was nipping at their skin, even though the sun was shining out in the clear blue sky.

Felix led them all to the living room, and there were two children sitting in the middle of the room, playing with their toys, pens and paper scattered everywhere, but they froze the second that they saw Nico and Kevin.

Everyone shuffled into a seat, but it was still awkward, and Nico was sure that the children could sense the tension.

Felix crouched down so that he could talk to Lise, and Mathias hid behind her.

"This is Kevin, and Nico," Felix said, "You're going to be living with them soon."

Lise started scribbling on the paper, colouring in her picture and ignoring everyone.

Kevin slid down on to the floor, sitting with his legs crossed as he watched Lise. "Do you like drawing?"

Lise nodded, but she didn't look up.

Kevin drew a picture of a horse on one of the sheets of paper, and Lise looked at it with fascination. "Would you colour it in for me?"

Lise took the sheet and began colouring it in pink, as Mathias peeked round to see what she was colouring in.

Kevin drew an elephant waving its trunk about, and he slid it over to Mathias who looked carefully at all the pens before deciding on the grey one. There was a flicker of a smile as he worked away, his tongue poking out as he tried to make sure that he didn't go outside of the lines, and when he was done he showed the picture to his sister.

"Do you like it?"

"It's very good." Lise gave her brother a hug, shielding him from all the people in the room, and the tension in the room faded.

Mathias held his picture close, and Kevin could see that he was proud of it.

Kevin drew more animals for them to colour in, but neither Lise nor Mathias wanted to talk.

"How do you feel about living with Kevin and Nico?" Felix asked, as the end of their hour was approaching.

Lise shrugged, and Nico moved down so that he was sitting on the floor.

"Can we see you again?" Nico asked, even though the next visit was already arranged for after Christmas.

Lise nodded, and Nico smiled, inside he was jumping for joy, just that tiny bit of interaction gave him hope that it was all going to work out.

Mathias waved goodbye, and that was enough for now, there was no rush.

*

That night Nico lay curled up in Kevin's arms, finally feeling at ease with everything. The wedding would be perfect, because their friends and family were there to support them.

And no matter what happened, or which little ones ended up being theirs, they were going to do everything that they could to raise them in a loving home and make sure that they had the best chance at life.

He told himself not to get his hopes up, but he could feel that Lise and Mathias would fit well with them, and he hoped that everyone else felt the same.

  1. _Suits_



"Lina's so excited about being a flower girl," Mia said, and she waved at Nico through the screen.

Lina told her Uncle Nico all about her dress, and how it was the one that she wore to the Christmas party.

"Have you got your suit all ready?" Mia asked and Nico nodded.

"Yes." Nico smiled, it was the one that he'd worn to the gala only a few weeks ago, and it had been cleaned so that it was ready for action.

"When I got married, all the comfort food meant that I only just fitted into my dress." Mia laughed, and Lina laughed along with her. "I had to wear a shawl to hide the fact that the zip didn't go all the way up."

Nico laughed, and then he realised that he hadn't exactly been watching what he ate lately. In fact the stress of the adoption, and the wedding, had seen him reaching for the cakes, and putting extra sugar in his coffee so that got a boost of energy.

"I have to go and check a few things," Nico said, trying to keep the smile on his face, "But I will talk to you before you come up for the wedding."

He could feel his heart racing as he rushed to the bedroom, frantically searching for his suit.

Even just looking at it made him feel like it wouldn't fit, and he slung his jogging bottoms off as he hoped that all the nerves making him fidgety had kept him thin.

He got them up without any problem, and the zip wasn't too much of a fight, but the button, it wasn't even close.

*

Kevin came home to find Nico doing sit ups in the living room, he was bright pink and the sweat was dripping down him even though it was a cool day.

He was going to joke about it being a nice treat for him to come home to, but he could see that Nico was frantic, and something was definitely wrong.

"What's happened?" Kevin rushed over, trying to get Nico to stop but he just batted Kevin's hand away.

"Nico, honey, talk to me."

It was the use of honey that got Nico to stop, it was what Britt called Kevin, and him, and he lay on the floor gasping for air, unable to speak as Kevin knelt next to him, holding his hand as he waited for him to catch his breath.

"My suit doesn't fit," Nico said, shaking his head as he stared at the ceiling.

"That's not a problem," Kevin said, running his hand over Nico's abs, "We'll get you a new one."

"There's only four days to the wedding." Nico felt tears well up in his eyes, and he rolled over so that he could cuddle into Kevin.

"I don't have a sponsor for nothing," Kevin said, clearly grinning as he took his phone out of his pocket.

Nico calmed as Kevin stroked his hair, and the sound of him typing away made Nico sit up to see what he was doing.

Kevin turned his phone so that Nico could see the message.

_9 am, can have the suits tailored the same day and delivered to your place._

"I love your sponsor," Nico said, wiping the sweat from his eyes. "I love you, I don't know what I'd do without you lately."

"We'll get through this, the wedding will be wonderful because you're there by my side." Kevin leant in for a kiss, the taste of sweat on his lips. "And then we'll get to have fun on the honeymoon, work off all that comfort food."

Nico laughed, Kevin could make almost anything about sex, although that was one of the many things that he loved about him.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

***

The next morning they arrived in Copenhagen just as the store was opening. They didn't seem surprised to see the two of them strolling in, and it didn't take long for both of them to have suits that fitted them perfectly.

Nico was kind of sad that the staff were so helpful and attentive, it didn't leave them any time to have fun in the changing rooms, but in less than a week they were going to be on their honeymoon, and they would have all the peace and quiet that they needed to make up for lost time.

They were sipping coffee as they checked over what Nico and Kevin had picked, and the assistant twirled her long blond hair as she made small talk about the wedding.

"I like your rings," she said, admiring them as they sparkled in the light.

Kevin clamped his hands over his mouth, and Nico looked at him with wide eyes as he tried to work out what was wrong. "Oh god, I meant to get them engraved before the wedding."

"It's okay," Nico said, pulling Kevin into a hug so that he could stroke his back, "We can get it done after the wedding."

"I can't believe I left it off the list." Kevin shook his head, and Nico gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"It's all going to be okay." Nico felt like he was saying it more for himself than Kevin, it seemed to be his mantra lately, but if it got him through all of it, then it would be worth it.

Nico enjoyed the drive home, a little bit of peace and quiet, and he thought that Kevin felt the same, but he was trying to work out what he could do about the rings.

***

Nico woke up to the sound of Kevin working away in the garage, and he made him a coffee before padding through in his dressing gown and slippers.

"Mum had a lot of my old metal work gear in the garage," Kevin said, taking his goggles off as he went to give Nico a good morning kiss, accepting the coffee with a little groan of satisfaction.

Nico looked down at his hand and realised that Kevin must have slipped his ring off while he slept.

"Sorry, I should have asked, but I wanted it to be a surprise."

Kevin held the ring up to the light so that Nico could see it.

_Forever yours_

Their initials and the date of the wedding were engraved next to it, and Nico felt tears well up in his eyes.

"It's perfect," he said, giving Kevin a kiss, "You're perfect."

  1. _Book honeymoon_



"It's a surprise." Nico shut the lid of his laptop, and Kevin looked over at him with a smile on his face.

"I'll be happy as long as you're by my side." Kevin stuck his tongue out and Nico leant in for a messy kiss, hands roaming as Kevin yawned. It had been a long day, and with the wedding looming, both of them were busy.

Nico cuddled into Kevin, smile on his face. This was all that he wanted for the rest of his life.

  1. _Wedding!!!_



Nico loved the fact that even on the list he could tell that Kevin was excited for the wedding. Every time he saw the three exclamation marks it filled his heart with love, and even though it had been tough getting to this point, Nico knew that it would all be over soon.

Alex and Mia were greeting guests, and Britt was playing host as people arrived.

Nico had retreated to the bedroom, giving himself a chance to gather his nerves. Paul and Checo were sitting with him, and the silence was starting to annoy him.

"I'm not sure I can do this," Nico said, his hands twisted together as he shook his head.

Paul shuffled closer so that he could drape his arm over Nico's shoulders. "Everyone feels like that before their wedding."

Checo nodded, even though there had been no mention of him tying the knot with his long-term girlfriend.

Paul turned so that he could stare into Nico's eyes. "Do you love Kevin?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with him?"

"Yes."

"Then you can survive the wedding ceremony." Paul laughed and Nico relaxed, glad that he hadn't bothered to get dressed yet, since he'd have sweated through his shirt by now.

"Fuck, I don't have a best man." Nico buried his face in his hands, and Paul and Checo laughed.

"Rock, paper, scissors for it?" Paul said, putting out his hand, and Nico laughed as they both slapped their fists against their hand, counting to three as they did it.

"Paper beats rock." Checo stuck his tongue out, and Paul looked thoughtful.

"Isn't your brother your best man?"

"Fuck, yes, I should ask him." Nico thought about getting dressed so he could go downstairs, but that meant having to deal with everyone, and he ended up reaching for the cake that Britt had left him, trimmings that had been cut from the main cake.

"I'll go ask," Checo said, "I'll make it sound like I'm just confirming that he's still okay to do it."

"Thank you." Nico leant over the bed to give him a quick hug, and Paul rescued the coffee cup that was precariously balanced and in danger of spilling everywhere.

"This is not how I pictured this," Nico said, stuffing more cake into his mouth as he tried to tell himself that it would all be okay.

Nico dabbed up the cake crumbs with his finger, before setting the plate down and looking out the window to the garden, filled with bright flowers, and chairs, people already milling around as they waited for the ceremony to start.

Paul wiped the crumbs from Nico's lips, and Nico leant in for a kiss, his fingers running through Paul's hair as he forgot about everything.

And then Paul pushed him away.

"Fuck, I… Fuck."

"I'm…" Nico let his forehead rest against Paul's. "I'm sorry, it's just been a crazy few months."

Paul stroked his back, and Nico wondered if he was trying to deliberately sabotage his own wedding.

They sat like that until Nico heard the door open, and he jumped back when he saw Kevin peeking round the door.

"I brought you coffee."

"I kissed Paul and I'm really sorry it was just the stress and I don't know what to say to make it better." Nico took a deep breath, and Kevin compressed his lips, which had Nico's heart pounding. He was sure that he'd ruined everything, and he felt like a teenager again, unable to keep a steady relationship if his life depended on it, cheating on people because he couldn't talk about his feelings until he figured out that one-night stands were the way to go.

But he didn't want to be that guy again, not anymore.

Kevin sat the coffee down, and Nico relaxed, at least he wasn't getting it thrown over him.

He walked over to Paul, and Nico was bracing himself for the worst, but Kevin just kissed Paul on the cheek before climbing on to the bed with them both.

"Now we're even," Kevin said, grinning as he looked at Nico, and Paul went to move, but he was blocked in.

Kevin stroked the side of Nico's face, and Nico finally looked up at him, his bright blue eyes showing his fear.

"We don't have to do this, we can just have a big party and live in sin for the rest of our lives." Kevin kissed Nico, the taste of coffee replacing the hint of cake from Paul's lips.

"But there would be no children." Nico felt his lip tremble, and Kevin rushed in for a hug, holding him tight as he tried to put all his own feelings in order.

"There wouldn't be kids, but we'd still have each other, that's enough for me, as long as you're happy."

Nico sniffed, and Kevin felt a tear run down his cheek.

"I want to be your husband, I want to have children running around and I want to see you be the best dad that you can be to our two little children."

"We don't know if Lise and Mathias are going to come live with us yet." Kevin sat back so that he could look at Nico, see the tears in his eyes at the thought of them not being a family.

Nico reached out to hold Kevin's hand, intertwining their fingers as he pressed it to his heart.

"I can feel it, in here."

Kevin smiled, and Britt called up from downstairs to say that the registrar had arrived.

"You better get dressed," Kevin said, giving Nico one last kiss as boyfriends before leaving him to get ready. Paul slipped out of the room after him, their friendship would survive this, and many crazy things to come.

*

Nico felt as though he was floating outside his body when he walked down the aisle, marvelling at how many people had braved the cold to help them celebrate. There were many scarves and shawls keeping everyone warm, and he focused on Kevin so that he wouldn't stumble.

Lina's dress was adorable, and having Alex standing beside him was reassuring, but Kevin was his whole world right now.

He tried to focus but the words made no sense, he felt like someone else was in control of his body and it wasn't until he realised that everyone was staring at him that he said the words Kevin had been longing to hear.

"I do."

Their first kiss as husbands was chaste, but it was the most wonderful feeling in the world as snowflakes started to fall, settling on Kevin's hair and glinting in the light.

Lina held her hand out to catch the snow, everyone else was cheering as Nico felt the world return around him.

He fidgeted with his glasses as Lina reached up to hold his hand, and he picked her up so that she could get a hug from her uncle. Nico was glad to see that everyone else was enjoying the day, and he smiled every time that he realised Kevin was his husband now.

Just the word husband made everything seem real, solid, and he knew that they were going to last forever.

Nico held Kevin's hand tight as they got organised for the photographs, and he smiled every time that he saw Kevin watching him with Lina.

"You are going to be an amazing dad," Kevin whispered, as Lina wriggled in Nico's arms. It had taken a while to do all the photos, and Nico could see her patience wearing thin.

"One last photo, and then we'll get cake," Nico said, and Lina cheered, sitting on Nico's knee as the photographer got into place, snapping away as the snow lay on the ground, making the place look magical.

"All done, time for cake," Kevin said, smiling at Nico as he led everyone into the house where coffee was waiting for them all, along with a lot of food that Kevin's relatives had brought over. Nico handed Lina back to Mia, small children and knives did not mix.

The cake was quite a sight, Britt had surpassed herself with it, and the tiny figurines on top were an uncanny resemblance.

Kevin handed Nico the knife, and he stood staring at the cake, his mouth hanging open as he wondered how best to cut it without damaging the seamless swirls of icing. In the end, Kevin wrapped his hand around Nico's, moving it towards a corner and he hesitated before cutting in.

The way the knife cut through the cake told Nico everything he needed to know about how moist and velvety it was, and he knew that it would be hard to eat it without making a mess.

Luckily Kevin had a solution for that, he shoved the cake into Nico's mouth, drawing a heart on his cheek with the icing, and everyone laughed. Nico was in heaven, quickly munching down the cake as Kevin licked his fingers clean, looking both angelic and devilish all at the same time.

He wiped the icing off his cheek using a napkin, if it wasn't for the audience Nico would have let Kevin lick it off him, but that was far too intimate for the wedding.

"Britt, this cake is amazing," Nico said, rushing over to hug her, "Thank you so much."

Kevin was cutting up the cake, and there was a queue forming as Britt held Nico, giving him the minute that he needed to collect himself.

While everyone was eating Nico got a bit of breathing space, and he was starting to feel like he could enjoy it all.

And then people wanted them to dance. Nico hadn't thought about dancing, there wasn't really space in their living room, but from the way that Kevin was smiling at him, he would be a little hurt if they didn't have their first dance.

Nico held his arms out as people moved out of the way, and Marcus found a suitably slow song - 'All My Love' by Led Zeppelin.

Kevin fitted in his arms, Nico's chin resting on his head as they moved to the music, and he felt secure in Nico's embrace.

Nico was glad that Kevin seemed happy with his dancing skills, and he felt calm with Kevin close to him, but then there was something tugging on his suit. Lina wanted to dance, and Nico reached down to hold her hands, waiting for her to step on his feet as they danced around the living room.

Kevin stood by his mum, beaming with pride as he watched Nico twirl Lina around, and he pictured Nico doing this with their own children. He knew that he shouldn't get his hopes up, but he couldn't wait to find out if they would be allowed to adopt Lise and Mathias.

Nico brought Lina back to her parents, and he reached out to hold Kevin's hand. Kevin could feel the nerves fading once their hands were joined.

Once the champagne was flowing it was easier to relax, chatting away to everyone as the party died down, people heading home before it got late, and friends jetting home for the holidays.

Alex and Mia were the last to leave, they were staying at Britt's for the night before heading home tomorrow. The need to leave the newly-married couple alone seemed to go unsaid.

"Have fun on your honeymoon," Mia said, as Alex carried Mia to the car, the excitement of the day had worn her out.

"We will." Kevin had the cheekiest of grins on his face, and Nico could only smile as Alex winked at them.

*

"Do you want to…?" Nico was exhausted, but he would find the energy if Kevin wanted to.

"I guess we should." Kevin leant in for a kiss, and Nico wrapped his arm around him, letting him snuggle in under his arm.

Kevin yawned for the third time in as many minutes, and Nico knew that consummating their marriage could wait until the honeymoon.

"I think we should wait until we're both in the mood to enjoy it." Nico gave Kevin a kiss on the forehead, and he could feel him nod in agreement.

Nico's head was spinning, buzzing with the excitement of the day, and he cuddled into Kevin, hoping that it would wear off so that he could sleep.

Kevin reached out to hold Nico's hand, stroking the side of it with his thumb. "How do you feel?"

"I'm ready for the honeymoon."


	34. Honeymoon - 2019

Kevin had asked Nico many times where they were going on their honeymoon, and he kept smiling all the way to the airport, sure that he would see the destination on the departures board.

When they arrived, Nico checked all their luggage, and he had a grin on his face as the cheery flight attendant showed them to the first class lounge.

Kevin reached out to hold Nico's hand, delighting in the simple luxury of being able to hold hands in public. When they got to the lounge, they were the only people in it, and the departure board simply said 'honeymoon'.

"You got the airport staff to help keep this secret?" Kevin cuddled in to Nico, looking up at him with his best puppy eyes, and Nico only grinned more.

"If you want to know where we're going I'll tell you." Nico smiled, fidgeting with his glasses as he waited for Kevin to say the word, but he just shook his head.

"You'll find out soon enough," Nico said, "I couldn't quite convince them to have the pilot withhold the location from the whole plane." Nico laughed as Kevin reached out for a chocolate that had been left for them.

Kevin unwrapped it carefully, biting it in half before offering Nico the remaining half. Ever since the incident with the suit, Kevin had been making sure that Nico ate, and Nico could see the worry on his face.

"I'm okay," Nico said, leaning in to kiss Kevin on the forehead, "It was just stress. I'm fine now, I'm going to enjoy my honeymoon, and all the delicious treats that are available to us when we get there."

Kevin laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind Nico's ear, and Nico leant in for a kiss, feeling the thrill of doing it in public.

"I love you." Kevin snuggled in under Nico's arm, smile on his face which Nico hoped would stay there for the next ten days.

"I love you too."

*

Once they were comfy on the plane, Kevin sat alert, waiting for any information about where they might be going. With all the chaos, Nico had not had time to make Kevin guess.

"Where would you like to go?" Nico asked, and he felt his stomach twist. "If you could go anywhere in the world?"

"It's cheesy, but I'd love to go to Vegas." Kevin stuck his tongue out, and Nico laughed, trailing off when he heard the announcement from the pilot.

"Welcome to flight DY748A to Las Vegas, we expect to be landing at McCarran International Airport at nine thirty local time."

Kevin's mouth was hanging open, and Nico smiled as he bit his lip. "Surprise?"

"I love you so much." Kevin let out a squeal as he hugged Nico tight, squeezing the air out of them as the flight attendant strolled up with two glasses of champagne.

It was the same flight attendant as earlier, and the name tag said Alex, which made Nico smile. Having his brother at the wedding was lovely, and he was so glad that he could have a good relationship with his brother after everything that had happened.

"Congratulations on your wedding," Alex said, smiling as he sat the champagne down in front of them.

"Thank you," Kevin said, reaching out for the glass, and he held it up for a toast. "To the future."

"To the future." Nico smiled as the glasses chinked together, Kevin's grin beaming as he sipped at the champagne.

"I love you." Nico leant in for a kiss, tasting the sweet, fruity sparkles, the rush of excitement surging through his veins.

"I love you too."

Nico smiled, there had been a point when he thought that this day would never come, but now that they were married, Nico knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the blond angel that was curled up under his arm, smile on his face as they took off, winging their way to Las Vegas.

*

Kevin woke up to see Nico watching him, stroking the side of his face as he blinked a few times and then grinning when he remembered that they were married.

Nico reached out to hold his hand, intertwining their fingers as he snuggled in close. "Want to start the honeymoon a little early?"

Kevin's eyes lit up, and he nodded as Nico flicked his eyes in the direction of the bathroom. Nico gave him a quick kiss before Kevin slipped out of his seat, swaying his hips as he walked so that Nico could admire the view.

Alex reappeared, serving the food, and bringing everyone coffee, which had Nico's stomach rumbling. But it also meant that Nico couldn't slip out to the bathroom without being seen, and after five minutes, Alex went to check on Kevin, who emerged with a smile on his face.

Nico could hear Kevin thanking Alex for his excellent service, and he ended up laughing to himself as he waited for Kevin to return to his seat.

Kevin leant in close so that he could whisper, "I think it's for the best that food arrived, you're too tall to have sex in an airplane bathroom."

"I'm flexible when I want to be," Nico said, winking at Kevin as he reached out for his coffee.

Kevin grinned, biting on his lip as though he was unable to contain his lust. "I plan to put that to very good use while we're away."

After food, Kevin cuddled back in so that he could sleep, and he slept all the way to Las Vegas. His smile never faded, and he didn't let go of Nico's hand for the whole journey.

*

They arrived late evening, and Nico was amazed by how warm it felt, even though it was dark.

Kevin yawned, and Nico held him close as Alex pushed the trolley with their bags towards the car that was waiting for them. Nico had been surprised to learn that Kevin had never been in a limo before, but he wanted to change that.

He held his hand out as Alex left the trolley by the boot. "Congratulations again on your wedding, and I hope you have a wonderful honeymoon." Alex gave them a cheeky wink before disappearing back into the airport, leaving Kevin staring at the limo with his mouth hanging open.

"For us?" Kevin grinned, and Nico could tell what he was thinking.

"Yes." Nico leant down for a kiss as the driver loaded their bags. "It's only fifteen minutes to the hotel, but I thought you'd like to arrive in style."

Kevin laughed, fifteen minutes was more than long enough for them to have some fun on the way to the hotel.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

For all that Kevin spent his time travelling and staying in luxurious hotels around the world, this time it was different, because Nico had organised it all. He knew that Nico must have spent a long time trying to work out exactly what he would like, and he appreciated all of it, because he got to share the experience with the love of his life.

The driver was a fan, and they spent the journey chatting about racing, Kevin loving the attention that his second world title had brought him. Nico looked over at the picture by the steering wheel, of the driver and his boyfriend or husband, and their two small children. His heart raced when he realised that it was going to be them soon, Kevin getting to be the amazing dad that he'd always dreamed of being.

Nico reached out to hold Kevin's hand, intertwining their fingers, and he realised that the conversation had moved on to family while he'd been daydreaming.

"Adopting our two little ones was the best decision I ever made." The driver tapped on the photo as they pulled up to the hotel.

"We're in the process of adopting," Kevin said, "We're still at the visiting stage, but hopefully in the new year they will come and live with us." Kevin grinned, and Nico was glad that he'd had Kevin holding his hand through all of it.

"It's challenging, but it's the most wonderful experience." The driver smiled at them as he stopped the car, getting out so that he could open the door for them, before taking out the luggage and loading it on to a trolley that one of the hotel staff had rushed over with.

Nico slipped the driver a nice tip, which would no doubt go on toys and ice cream for the little ones, he could see the love that he had for his family. "Thank you."

Kevin took Nico's hand, looking at the lush, green trees surrounding the hotel, and they strolled through the lobby, admiring the flowers that were adorning the place, the secluded lake lit up in the darkness.

The hotels that Kevin went to for work were always more practical in nature, and he was amazed by how lavish it all was. His eyes were wide as he took it all in, and it took his breath away.

Nico managed to check in with little more than a wave of his hand, and their bags were already on their way to the room.

"Congratulations," the cheery check-in girl said, smiling as she handed Nico the keys.

"Thank you." Nico looked down at Kevin who was still mesmerised by the flower sculptures dotted around the lobby. He gave Kevin's hand a little squeeze, leading him towards the lift as he held Kevin close to him. "We'll be back down for dinner soon," Nico said, and he could see the conflict on Kevin's face, half of him wanted food, since airplane food, no matter how good was never quite satisfying, and half of him wanted a night of epic love making.

The lift pinged to say that it had arrived, and Nico was relieved to see that they were alone. He pinned Kevin to the wall, kissing him passionately as he felt Kevin rub his half hard cock up against him, the anticipation had been building all day now, and he knew that it would be cruel to make him wait any longer.

"Patience," Nico whispered, "I'm going to make you feel so good."

Kevin grinned, and by the time that they stumbled out of the lift, his lips were moist and pink, his hair ruffled as Nico straightened out his t-shirt. Nico was grinning as he held out the key for the honeymoon suite, and Kevin's had a glint in his eye that was devilish. The second that the little green light flashed to say that the door was open, Kevin swept up Nico in his arms, carrying him bridal style into the room as Nico giggled, wrapping his arms around Kevin's neck as he stumbled his way to the bed.

He walked through what looked like a living room, before checking in a room that was a large walk-in wardrobe, followed by a bathroom, and then another living room. Just as Kevin was starting to think that they'd forgotten to put a bed in the room, he found the bedroom, with a bed so big that it could easily sleep four or more people.

Nico laughed when he landed on the bed, dragging Kevin on top of him until their lips met, it was delicate at first, but then Kevin let out a groan and Nico deepened the kiss, moving his legs apart so that there was space for Kevin between his thighs.

Kevin arched his back, his need clear, but Nico wanted to make him wait, give him the most spectacular of orgasms.

"I think we should get a bath." Nico stuck his tongue out, and Kevin went in for another kiss, grinning as he gave Nico's cock a squeeze, making him moan in pleasure.

Kevin stripped off his shirt, letting Nico trail his fingers over his tattoo, sending shivers through his body as he realised that he was all sticky from travelling all day. Not that it had ever stopped them having sex, but the thought of a nice relaxing bath, and the long drawn out foreplay, had Kevin biting his lip.

He wandered through to the main bathroom, and he stopped when he saw how spacious it was. It was bigger than their bedroom at home, and the giant bathtub had pride of place in the middle of the room.

"Plenty of space for both of us," Nico said, standing behind Kevin so that his cock could press against his bum, teasing him as he wrapped his arm around him, kissing at the side of his neck as they admired the giant bathtub.

Their own bathtub was just big enough for the two of them, Kevin had made sure of that, and their shower had space for two people to get washed without difficulty, but this was something else.

Nico stroked all of Kevin's pale skin as goose bumps rippled across his arms, the chill of the air conditioning a stark contrast from the dry desert warmth outside.

Kevin delighted in all the kisses that Nico was trailing over his body as the bath ran, the warm steam filling the room and clouding Nico's glasses. It made Kevin feel like he was so hot that he had the power to fog up Nico's lenses, like something out of a cartoon, and he laughed to himself as Nico turned off the taps, checking that the water was a suitable temperature for them.

Nico got in first, groaning as the warm water surrounded him, and once he was settled, he spread his legs so that there was a nice space for Kevin close to him. The bath was big enough that they could comfortably sit at opposite ends, but that wasn't what Nico wanted, not now. He just wanted to be curled up next to Kevin.

Kevin snuggled in between his legs, wrapping his legs around Nico's as he lay back on his chest, dragging Nico's arms around him so that he felt safe and secure.

Nico was kissing the side of his neck, his hands trailing lower as he whispered sweet nothings, and Kevin soaked it all up.

He would never tire of Nico saying 'I love you' or 'I'm so happy that you're my husband'.

Kevin was also never going to tire of having Nico's big hands stroking him, knowing exactly what spots to hit to have him breathless and gasping in pleasure, and he knew just when to stop to leave Kevin on the brink of orgasm.

Nico cupped his balls, his free hand exploring lower, and Kevin felt his muscles twitch as Nico's fingers circled his hole, combined with the warmth of the water it was blissful. He let out a low groan as Nico slid a finger in, gently thrusting as he opened Kevin up. Kevin felt the familiar warmth of orgasm building, and Nico backed off, withdrawing his fingers before reaching out for the shampoo so that they could get clean.

Kevin relaxed as Nico showed just how talented his fingers were, massaging the shampoo into his scalp as he felt his cock twitch, Nico's hard cock pressing against his back as a way of showing him exactly what was waiting for him.

Nico could feel Kevin getting more and more aroused as he cleaned every inch of his perfect silky skin. Kissing every bit as he went, apart from the bits that Kevin really wanted kissed. The tip of his cock was purple, and every vein was standing out as Nico washed it, delicate strokes that sent sparks through Kevin's body, but weren't enough to give him the release that he was waiting for.

Kevin bit his lip, and Nico knew that it would be cruel to tease Kevin much longer, no more foreplay was required. Nico got out of the bath, making sure that Kevin had a good view as he towelled off, before helping Kevin out, wrapping him a fluffy towel so that he could pick him up and carry him to bed.

It wasn't far to the bed, and Nico laid Kevin down, giving him a kiss before rushing off to hunt for the lube, glad that their bags were nearby. Nico returned to see Kevin lying with his legs spread, his fingers teasing at the trail of fur around his hole, and Nico whistled as he took in the sight before him.

"You are so beautiful." Nico crawled on to the bed, kissing each bit of skin that he passed on the way up. He made sure that the kiss to the hip was as close to Kevin's hard cock as he could manage without touching it, and from the way Kevin let out the breath that he'd been holding, he knew that he was going to give him the most spectacular of orgasms.

Kevin lunged in for a kiss, nipping at Nico's lips as he waited for Nico to slick up his cock. Nico watched Kevin drape his leg over his hip, leaving space for him to get into position. Kevin smiled as he took Nico's glasses off, he wasn't going to need them with their noses touching, and he reached down to lead Nico's hard cock to his hole.

"I love you." Kevin stroked the side of Nico's neck, letting his hand run down until it was resting at the small of his back, and Nico felt sparks rush through his body, just the feeling of being pressed up against Kevin was enough to set his soul on fire.

"I love you too." Nico thrust in as he wrapped his big arms around Kevin, holding him tight as he bottomed out inside him, giving him a moment to adjust as he kissed at his eyes that were scrunched shut.

"You feel so good inside me." Kevin's voice sounded distant, like he was calling through from another universe, and Nico was amazed that after all these years he could still bring Kevin to the very limits of ecstasy.

"You feel amazing wrapped around me." Nico felt Kevin clench around him, and he let out a moan, slowly starting to thrust as Kevin grabbed at his hips to make him go faster.

"More." Kevin sounded pornographic when he begged, and Nico could feel his resolve weakening, but he wasn't going to give in that easily.

"Patience," Nico whispered, and the moan that Kevin let out had him taking deep breaths so that he wouldn't come.

Every thrust had Nico's cock leaking more, slicking up Kevin so that he could pick up the pace without worrying about it being too much. Kevin was pressing his hard cock against Nico's abs, trailing slick everywhere as his movements got more erratic, his moans deafening as Nico went in for a passionate kiss, holding Kevin close so that they could come at the same time, his muscles clenching around him as he came, triggering his own orgasm and leaving him limp on the bed, only able to stroke Kevin's back as he lay gasping for air.

Nico could see white spots in his vision, and he knew that it was going to take him a while to recover from sex that spectacular.

"Feel good?" Nico whispered, resisting the urge to withdraw so that he could lie out flat, he couldn't bear to be separated from Kevin yet.

Kevin made an 'mmm' sound in response, it was going to be a while before he was able to speak in whole words, in any language.

Nico rested his chin on Kevin's head, allowing him to cuddle in as he drifted off to sleep with the biggest grin on his face, their bodies tangled together.

*

The next morning Nico woke up in an empty bed, and he reached out for his glasses, when he realised that there was the sound of running water. Kevin was in the shower.

He saw the lube sitting by the side of the bed, and he knew exactly what kind of breakfast he wanted.

Nico admired the view of Kevin getting washed in the spacious shower, his tattoo flexing in such pleasing ways as he washed himself.

"Morning, my love." Nico ducked down for a kiss as he let the warm water rush over him, making the kiss more sensual as he ran his fingers through Kevin's hair, silky even when wet, while using his free hand to lead Kevin's fingers around to his hole, letting him feel how slick he was.

"This is a nice surprise," Kevin said, his angelic grin shining out as he slid a finger in, the burn giving way to pleasure as Nico relaxed around him. "Have you missed my cock?"

Kevin stuck his tongue out, and Nico ducked down for another kiss, his moans muffled by Kevin's lips as he worked another finger inside him, checking to see if he was open enough. Nico couldn't remember the last time that they were intimate, the wedding had definitely put a damper on things, but he was planning on using the honeymoon to make up for lost time.

Nico broke the kiss, turning round so that he could rest his forearms against the side of the shower, spreading his legs wide so that Kevin could have easy access. Kevin kissed every freckle on his back, his fingers teasing at his hole as he waited until Nico was hard and needy whimpers were echoing around the shower.

Kevin thrust in slowly, holding Nico's hips tight as he bottomed out, and Nico felt sparks flying through his body as the warm water splashed over his cock, every droplet like the aftershock of a spectacular orgasm.

Nico knew that he wouldn't last long, but yet he wanted to savour the feeling of Kevin inside him, stretching him wide as he begged for more, and Kevin picked up the pace as his hand slid round so that he could stroke Nico's cock.

Kevin was slamming into him with each thrust, his balls tight as he felt the wave of orgasm wash over him, and he clenched around Kevin with such force that he came immediately, Nico milking the come out of him as Kevin slumped down on top of him. Nico could feel the grin on Kevin's face, and he wanted to stay like this forever, but then his stomach rumbled.

With all the excitement they had forgotten to get dinner last night, and now Nico's stomach was noisily proclaiming that it was breakfast time.

"It's still early," Kevin said, kissing at Nico's shoulder, "How about we get breakfast in bed?"

"Sounds perfect."

*

Nico had never seen so much food, and as someone who spent a lot of time in all-you-can-eat restaurants, even he found that it looked like too much food.

There were pancakes and waffles, eggs cooked three different ways, as well as a pile of bacon that was as tall as the coffee pot. And the coffee smelt like heaven, strong but not bitter, with a rich chocolaty hint. Nico was salivating at the sight of it, and Kevin was looking at him as though he was asking permission to start.

"Eat." Nico piled pancakes and bacon on to a plate, slathering them in maple syrup that had been brought to them in a jug, and placing it in front of Kevin, waiting for him to take a bite.

Kevin let out a groan that was pornographic, and he offered the next bite to Nico, making sure that it was drenched in syrup.

Nico was in heaven, and he piled his plate high with all the treats that had been brought to them, savouring every bite as he devoured it all.

The coffee had him feeling awake, and he was glad that they were both used to jetlag, he didn't want anything to get in the way of their well-earned break.

Kevin let out a groan as he finished the last sausage, clutching at his stomach as he lay back on the sofa.

"Good?" Nico was still amazed that the two of them had managed to eat it all, but he was nicely full, and he was sure that he had more than enough energy for all the things that they were going to get up to today.

"Perfect." Kevin smiled, leaning up for a kiss as Nico licked up a stray bit of maple syrup. The kiss was gentle and tender, a stark contrast to their frantic lovemaking earlier.

Nico knew that if he didn't move he was in danger of ending up in a food coma, and he didn't want that, he wanted to explore.

"How about we walk down the Strip?" Nico patted his stomach before sticking his tongue out. "Work off breakfast?"

Kevin gave him a playful shove, knocking him back on to the sofa as he moved to straddle him. "I can think of a better way to work off breakfast."

Nico leant up for a kiss, letting his dressing gown fall open as he led Kevin to his hard cock, waiting for him to sink down on to him.

Kevin wasted no time in adjusting to the stretch, frantically riding Nico as he held on to Kevin's hips. Nico stroked Kevin in time with the thrusts, his knuckles white as he felt Kevin shudder in orgasm, spurting ropes of come over his chest.

"I think we need another shower," Kevin said, hissing as he eased himself off Nico's cock and leading him towards the bathroom.

*

Over an hour later they were finally dressed and ready to go out into the dazzling desert sun, their hats and sunglasses shielding them from the worst of it. Nico had made sure that they were both coated in sunscreen, he'd deliberately brought a long-lasting one so that once it was on in the morning they wouldn't have to worry about it for the rest of the day.

Kevin was grinning, although four orgasms in twelve hours was a good reason to smile. Nico couldn't remember the last time that they'd made love all night, and all morning.

It was fun being a tourist, blending in with the crowds as they took in the sheer scale of Las Vegas. Nico was loving every second of it, and there was so many places to get food that he felt like he was in heaven.

As they strolled past Stratosphere, Kevin craned his neck to try and see the rides that were on top of the giant skyscraper. There was the faint sound of screams coming from the top of the building, and even with the sunglasses on, Nico could see that Kevin was interested.

"Want to go see the view from the top?" Nico smiled, giving Kevin's hand a squeeze as they headed towards the entrance.

Kevin was smiling, the excitement clear from his body language, he was energised and raring to go.

Once they'd paid for their tickets, the lift up to the top of the building was strangely anti-climactic, since it was enclosed, and they couldn't look out at the Strip. But once they stepped out onto the top of the tower, the wind rushing around them at speed, Kevin had to catch his hat before it flew over the edge.

The view was amazing, and Nico found himself in awe of the tiny cars shuffling along the strip beneath them, people so small that he could only just tell that they were human, and even the other hotels and buildings on the Strip looked like they were made of Lego in comparison.

"It's beautiful." Kevin was pressed up to the barrier, his eyes wide as they scanned the now tiny looking city. The mountains looked huge in comparison, and he was amazed that there was a so much life in the middle of the desert.

The lush green trees around their hotel had surprised him, and he was in awe of how many plants were thriving in the desert heat, soaking up the sun.

Nico stood behind him, peering over his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around Kevin to keep him warm. The wind chill had goose bumps appearing on his skin, even though the sun was still shining down on them. "Which one do you want to go on first?"

Kevin looked up at the tallest ride, the one that he'd seen from the ground, and grinned. Nico laughed, taking his hand as they wandered up to it. He was glad that he'd put his contacts in although that was mostly because he didn't have any prescription sunglasses, and the thought of facing the bright desert light without them was painful.

The ride was thrilling, even for them, and the view that they had from the top was spectacular. Nico felt like he was on top of the world, and with Kevin next to him, he really was.

*

That evening they sat eating dinner in the restaurant terrace, overlooking the water as music played and the lake was lit up with coloured lights as the water danced in perfect time to the beat.

The way that the jets of water danced was mesmerising, and Nico found himself staring at the lake as he sipped at his mojito.

"This is amazing," Kevin said, cuddling in closer as they waited for their dessert to arrive, and Nico wrapped his arm around him. The evening air felt cool compared to the heat during the day, and Kevin had brought a jumper down from the room to keep the chill off him while they were sitting.

Nico was offering the last bite of the ice cream to Kevin when he realised that he was staring at the lake, his attention captivated by a giant animatronic frog. He had never expected to be surprised by anything in Las Vegas, but right now, watching a ten foot robotic frog sing along to 'It's a Wonderful World' Nico was quite happy to be wrong.

***

They had found time to take in the shows, and go on all the rollercoasters so that they could feel like big kids all over again. Nico had drunk a surprising amount, although it was rare that he got the chance to drink, and he hadn't gone overboard, but it had been nice to cut loose and go clubbing when there were no fans coming up to them all night.

In fact, apart from a few people, they'd been mostly left alone to enjoy their holiday, and Nico was glad that Formula One wasn't as popular in America.

There was just one last thing that Nico wanted to do, one more thing to indulge his inner child, and they were walking along the hot street on the way to it.

The Pinball Hall of Fame.

It had been years since he'd been anywhere near a pinball machine, but just the sound of it made him feel like a kid again.

The sight of all the machines, and the sound of the electronic beeps and pings had him smiling. Kevin wandered around, taking it all in, as Nico rushed from machine to machine, trying all of them as he used his lighting reflexes to rack up some impressive scores.

"You're a big kid," Kevin said, waiting for Nico to finish so that he could have a turn.

"It's been too long since I was able to indulge my inner child." Nico groaned as the ball slid down the channel at the side, clunking as it made its way back to the start so that Kevin could have his go.

Kevin smirked as he got into position, his competitive side was starting to show, and it was probably for the best that it was their last quarters that had just gone into the machine.

It was close, and by the time that Kevin had finished, Nico tried to pretend that he didn't remember his score.

Kevin reached out his arm so that he could take Nico's hand, the bright light dazzling compared to the strip lights inside. "Are you ready to be a grown up again?"

"Yes," Nico said, stroking the side of Kevin's face as he leant in for a kiss. "I've never been more ready to be a dad."


	35. Family - 2020

Lise and Mathias were happy colouring in the pictures that Kevin was drawing for them, and Nico felt tears welling up in his eyes.

They were going to be coming home with them, and Nico couldn't be happier.

Britt had helped make sure that everything was safe, and Nico had spent the last couple of days trying to figure out how to work the catch on the drawer with the knives.

Lise flicked a strand of long brown hair out of her eyes, before going back to colouring in, and even Mathias was smiling as he carefully chose the right colours for his picture.

Their bags were packed, and Felix was going to be coming with them, so that they had some continuity.

Felix was going to stay for dinner, but after that they were going to be on their own. Brand new parents.

Kevin had been telling him that it was all going to be okay, but Nico was a worrier, even if he didn't let most people see that side of him. But now, with the kids looking so happy and comfortable, Nico knew that they could do it. He knew that it wasn't always going to be easy, but he was ready for the challenge, and all the wonderful things that were going to come with it.

Mathias smiled, and Nico was amazed how much he looked like Kevin, down to the cheeky grin, his blond hair like a halo. He could see a lot of people just assuming that Mathias was Kevin's, and he wasn't sure if that made things easier or more difficult.

"Are you ready to go home?" Kevin asked, and the children nodded, packing away the colouring pens as they handed their drawings to Kevin. "These are going to look good on the fridge."

Lise smiled, and Nico held out his hand for her, picking up her bag as they wandered out down the snowy path, heading towards the car.

They'd already said goodbye to their foster parents, they were told that it was easier if they didn't make a big deal of it, but Kevin had said that they were welcome to visit in the future, as long as they called in advance.

It wasn't long before the kids were secure in the car seats, Felix squished in the middle as they headed home.

*

Mathias had been apprehensive about getting out of the car, but Kevin had managed to coax him out.

"There's a swing, and a slide, in the garden," Kevin said, and Mathias' eyes had lit up. He was holding his arms out for Kevin to carry him, and Lise followed behind, still holding Nico's hand as her eyes darted around, taking in the new house.

The bags were left in the hall, and they headed out to the garden, Kevin wiping the snow off it all as Mathias looked overjoyed by it.

Lise didn't look quite as impressed, and Nico ducked down so that he could talk to her.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to play with your brother?"

Lise shook her head and Nico reached out to offer his hand to her.

"What would you like to do?" Nico heard a squeal, but when he looked over, Mathias was happy being pushed on the swing, the cold air making his cheeks pink.

"Draw." Lise almost smiled, and Nico felt that it was all going to work out, all they needed was a little time.

"We'll go draw inside while your brother plays." Nico smiled, but Lise shook her head. He could see that she was watching Mathias carefully, unwilling to let him out of her sight.

Nico knocked the snow off the small patio table, drying it with the arm of his jacket before lying it out on the seat so that Lise wouldn't be too cold while she coloured in.

She sat so that she could draw and watch her brother, he seemed much happier here, although it was simple to get a three year old to do things that they enjoyed, the real test would be getting him to eat his vegetables.

Nico's stomach rumbled, and he wondered what he was going to make for dinner that was both healthy and tasty. And then he remembered his one trick, homemade pizza. It would save any arguments about who wanted what, and it would be much healthier than ordering takeaway.

Having Felix around seemed to be reassuring the children, but Nico had the feeling that he was being watched, and he didn't like it.

He knew that it was going to be the way for the next six months, there would still be frequent visits to make sure that it was all going well, and only after that time would the adoption be finalised.

Nico shivered, and when he looked up at Lise, he could see that her nose was bright red.

"I think that's time to get dinner started," Nico said, and Mathias cheered as Kevin helped him out of the swing, carrying him into the house.

Lise hurried to gather up her pens, so that she could follow Mathias into the house, and Nico put the table and chair away.

The kids went back to colouring at the kitchen table, and Nico glanced over to see Kevin with his arm laid out on the table, as Lise coloured in his tattoos.

Nico felt proud of his new family, and all doubts about being a good parent had left his mind. They were going to be awesome parents, because they were patient, and both of them had always risen to the challenges that life had thrown at them.

This was going to be the biggest challenge that Nico had ever taken on, but he didn't intend to lose.

*

That night, once Felix had headed home, thanking them both for dinner, Kevin had let the kids watch movies with him.

Their grown-up films were all hidden away, and that left an impressive selection of children's films that people had given them, including a few from Kevin's childhood that Britt had kept in the attic for this very occasion.

Nico made sure that their beds were ready for them to sleep, both of them seemed happy with their rooms, although Lise hadn't looked pleased that she wasn't sharing a room with her brother.

He had found out the small foldaway bed that was sitting in the spare room, and made sure that it was set up next to Mathias' bed for her, complete with one of her colouring books.

Nico knew that these first few nights were going to be the most difficult, but they had lots of time to make sure that the kids felt safe and loved.

There was silence, and Nico crept through to see that Kevin was asleep on the sofa, Mathias on his lap and Lise cuddled in beside him, holding the arm that she had coloured in.

Nico felt tears well up in his eyes, and he took a photo, so that he could remember this moment forever. The moment that they became a family.

He carried the kids to bed, making sure they were tucked up tight before carrying his big kid to bed.

Kevin smiled as he cuddled in to the duvet, and Nico held him close, whispering how much he loved him as he drifted off to sleep.

***

Time had flown quickly, and it was May before either of them realised it. With the kids not being old enough for school yet, it had made it easy to take them to races, and both of them seemed to enjoy it.

Lise was fascinated by the cars, and Nico could see her growing up to be an engineer one day.

They also loved the fact that the other drivers doted on them at every opportunity, and they were in danger of being spoilt.

The kids saw so much of Jo that they called him Uncle Jo, and it hadn't taken long for them to start doing the same for Marcus and Dany.

With their being less races in WEC they didn't see as much of Nick and Earl, but they still thought of them fondly. Especially since they often brought their own little ones to the races, they were in danger of needing a crèche in the garage.

"I heard it was someone's birthday."

Nico could have sworn it was Jo that he heard talking, but when he turned around it was Will, and Nico suddenly felt so old. Jo's baby brother was racing in F1 now, and Nico couldn't quite believe how time had flown.

Will was carrying a large box, wrapped in bright paper with cars on it, and Mathias shrieked with happiness, wriggling to get free of Nico's arms so that he could rush over to Will.

There was a huge smile on Mathias' face, his blue eyes wide as he tore the paper off the box to reveal a large remote controlled truck.

Nico smiled as he watched Will teach Mathias how to drive it, and he spent the entire of the day running it into people's legs as Kevin did all the media work that was required of him.

The journalists all thought that it was adorable, and Mathias had even let his sister have a go, although she was much more careful as she drove it.

Nico managed to convince him that it should go in the box while they had lunch, and when Mathias had finally relented, Kevin had appeared with the cake.

It was a huge cake, and Mathias looked thrilled at the sight of it. The team were all crowded around, and Nico held Mathias as everyone sang happy birthday to him, his sister watching carefully. Her own birthday had been a much smaller affair, held in their garden, although the cake was equally large.

Kevin came in to hug all three of them, Lise smiling as she was surrounded by family.

Nico couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Mathias' birthday.

***

"How's it going?" Checo asked, sipping at his coffee as Nico smiled.

"Good, the kids are settling in, and it's all set to be finalised soon."

"I'm so happy for you, being a dad really suits you." Checo smiled, and Nico knew that he wasn't the only one feeling his age lately.

"Thanks, for everything." Nico leant over for a hug, and he wondered if he'd have ever got here without good friends by his side.

"What are friends for?" Checo had a cheeky smile, and he raised an eyebrow as Nico looked thoughtful.

"I don't know what surname we're going to put on the adoption certificate." Nico had been thinking about it, and as much as he wanted them to have his surname, it was Kevin's family that they saw the most of, and he wanted the kids to feel a part of a wider family.

"Put both," Checo said, reaching out for another biscuit as he refilled his coffee mug.

"Magnussen-Hülkenberg is too much for a surname." Nico laughed, it was one of the few times that he wished his name was Hulk, at least it would be shorter.

"It doesn't have to be hyphenated, they could just have two surnames." Checo rooted around in his pockets for his wallet, and he pulled out his driver's licence.

Under surname it read: _Pérez Mendoza._

Nico had forgotten that Checo had two surnames, his father's and his mother's, since he only used the one for racing.

"You're a genius." Nico wondered why he hadn't thought of it before, but he was glad that Checo had pointed it out before they'd had to fill in all the paperwork.

"I know." Checo stuck his tongue out as they both laughed, they may have had grey hairs and a few more wrinkles, but they were still teenagers at heart.

*

Lise was busy colouring in as Felix found out the last of the paperwork to sign.

Both surnames were going to go on the certificate, but the kids would just use the Magnussen surname for everyday purposes. They had so many cousins that they were going to be part of a big family, and that seemed to be doing both of them a world of good.

Lise watched closely as Nico signed the last sheet of paper, handing it over to Felix so that it could be filed.

"Are you keeping us?" Lise asked, and Nico nodded, his big dorky grin shining out as Lise smiled back.

"How do you feel about that?" Nico asked Lise, and she looked thoughtful.

"Happy."


	36. Lise - 2021

Nico was lying out on little bed, not dissimilar to a massage table, his boxers pulled down as a man hovered over him with a needle.

"Scared?" Kevin held his hand a little tighter, his cheeky smile looking down at him.

"I drive a car at three hundred kilometres per hour for a living," Nico said, laughing as the whirr of the tattoo needle made him jump, "I'm not scared of a little needle."

Nico yelped as the needle made contact with his skin, it felt like being stung by a bee, and he held Kevin's hand tight, ignoring the smile on his face as Stefan worked away.

Kevin leant in for a kiss, nipping at Nico's lips to take his mind off it, and when he sat back, he saw that Nico was smiling.

"Still think this was a good idea?" Kevin stroked the side of his face, and Nico bit his lip, nodding as the pain subsided into a dull ache.

"Yes. I know it was the right decision."

Nico had been thinking about it for a while, and then one day he saw Kevin sketching two angels, little more than outlines. That was when he knew what he wanted.

He'd waited a year to get it done, and Kevin had spent ages making sure that the design was perfect.

It had felt like picking an engagement ring all over again, choosing something that they would treasure forever.

"How does it look?"

Kevin wandered round, never letting go of Nico's hand before leaning in to kiss at the small of his back, just above the new tattoo. His skin looked red and raw around the jet black lines, but every time that he saw it, Kevin felt a surge of pride.

"It's your turn." Stefan gently covered Nico's tattoo, looking at Kevin with a smile on his face, he'd heard the aftercare procedures so many times that he could recite them from memory.

Nico pulled his boxers up with a grimace on his face, he glanced at the chair, but sitting was going to be awkward for a little while. He'd wanted the tattoo somewhere that would be hidden, and the top of his bum was the perfect place.

Kevin lay out, slapping his bum before letting Stefan get to work, and Nico watched in fascination as Stefan inked two small angels on to Kevin's skin.

Nico couldn't think of more beautiful artwork to have inked on his skin, and even with the dull ache, he knew that he would never regret it.

*

Nico wandered into the kitchen to see Britt keeping the kids entertained, and Lise ran up to hug him, grabbing at his hip where the tattoo was.

He turned his yelp of pain into a cheer at seeing Lise again, and she seemed happy with that. "Hi sweetie, did you have fun with your grandma?"

"No, I'm bored of drawing."

Nico looked over to see Kevin busy drawing new pictures for Mathias to colour in.

"How about we go out for a walk?" Nico held his hand out as he glanced over at Kevin, nodding at him as he found Lise's coat, hat, gloves, and scarf. He was equally well wrapped up, and only their eyes were visible as they wandered out of the house, Lise leaving tiny footprints in the snow as she held her dad's hand.

They wandered through the quiet streets, until something caught Lise's attention. The roar of engines.

Lise was pulling Nico towards the karting track, the same one that Kevin had raced on as a child. Nico was in danger of having to run to keep up with her, and she stood by the fence, watching in fascination as the karts whizzed round the track.

Nico saw her eyes light up, and he knew what she would enjoy. "Do you want to go closer?"

Lise bit her lip, her eyes still drawn to the karts as she nodded.

"Come on." Nico smiled as he led her up to the entrance, and the second that she saw all of the karts on display at the edge of the room, she let go of Nico's hand, rushing over to inspect them as Nico dashed after her.

"Can I have a go? Please?" Lise put her hands together as she looked up at him, and Nico wondered what Kevin would say to all this, but he started karting at a much younger age, and Lise was nearly seven.

Nico nodded, heading over to pay as Lise looked at all the other kids waiting for their turn. She was probably going to end up at the same school as a lot of them, and Nico smiled with pride as she chatted away to a group of girls who were waiting to get their helmets.

The second that Lise slipped into the tiny race suit, Nico could see that she was at home, and she put the helmet on as though she'd been doing it for all her life. Nico helped her with the straps, fussing over her as she looked at the controls, sizing it all up as she prepared to race.

Even the warm up lap had Nico holding his breath, watching Lise with baited breath as he wondered what he would do if she got hurt. He was fretting about being a bad parent when he saw Lise line up on the grid, the look of determination in her eyes, and a smile on her face.

She was loving every second of it.

Nico felt his heart skip a beat as the lights went green, and Lise was off the line before he could even blink, his mouth hanging open as he watched her dodge round the slow starters, flying into the first corner with only two wheels on the ground.

He wasn't sure if he breathed at all during the ten minutes that she was zooming around the track, every second of it felt like time had slowed, and when the flag was waved for the last lap, Nico breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the wheels on Lise's kart caught the ones of the kart in front of her as she was trying to overtake. Lise was launched into the air, and Nico's heart pounded against his ribs, his life flashing before his eyes as tears ran down his cheeks. He'd been a parent for so little time and yet he'd put his baby in harm's way, let her do something as dangerous as karting when she was only six.

Even if she was mature for her age, that didn't mean he wasn't responsible for her, that he shouldn't be keeping her safe with every atom of his being.

How could he be so stupid? Why hadn't he told Kevin about this? Because he knew that he'd have said no.

Nico wanted to scream out to Lise, but then her kart landed on the track, and she swung round the last corner to finish first, waving to the crowd as she sped past. He felt his knees go weak, and he had to hold himself up on the fence as Lise sped past, waving at her dad, and Nico could see the look of sheer happiness on her face.

She was her dad's girl. She was hooked, and there was no going back.

Nico had to take a couple of deep breaths before he was steady enough to walk over to where Lise was returning the kart. She took off her helmet and sat it down on the kart before rushing over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck so that he could pick her up and swirl her around.

"Did you have fun?" Nico gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Lise smiled, the grin wasn't leaving her face for the rest of the day, and Nico knew that it wouldn't be long before she was begging him to go carting again. "Yeah."

"You're really good at this." Nico swung her around again as the next crowd of children came over for their turn.

"I know." Lise laughed, and Nico couldn't believe how much confidence she'd gained from just one race.

He was so proud of her, and not just because she was following in his footsteps, but because she was brave enough to try new things.

***

Nico had been taking Lise to the karting track once a week for a few weeks now, and neither of them had mentioned it to Kevin or Mathias. He hadn't asked her to keep it a secret, but she seemed to understand that Kevin might not be as supportive.

Sipping coffee as the kids watched tv, Nico looked over at Kevin, he was tidying up the pens that Mathias had left scattered all over the table after breakfast.

"How old were you when you started karting?" Nico asked, trying to make it sound casual, but he wasn't sure that he succeeded.

"Four." Kevin raised an eyebrow, Mathias would be four in just a few months, and that seemed far too young to be karting.

"How old were you?"

"Seven." Nico realised that he was barely older than Lise when he first started karting, which him feel better about taking her karting. So why hadn't he told Kevin?

Kevin made a little sound, but Nico couldn't tell if it was a good or a bad sound.

"Seven's not too young." Nico smiled, and out the corner of his eye, even though it was fuzzy with his glasses on, he could see Lise twisting around in her seat to listen in, trying not to make it obvious.

"I don't want to force the kids into following in our path," Kevin said, keeping his voice low so that the kids wouldn't hear. "When they're older they can choose for themselves."

Kevin held his arms out for a hug, and Nico wrapped him up in his arms. He opened his mouth to speak, and nothing came out.

It could wait until a better time.

*

There was a knock on the door just as Kevin was making lunch, and Nico rushed to answer it at the same time as the kids both made a beeline for the door.

"Grandma!"

Nico tried to make space for Britt to come in out of the cold, but the kids were both clamouring for their hugs, and Britt made sure that they both got a big hug before she took off her shoes and jacket.

Britt followed the kids through to the dining room, and Nico made sure that her shoes were neatly out of the way of the door. When he wandered through, Mathias was busy drawing, and Lise was chatting away to Britt.

"Are you all packed for winter testing, honey?" Britt was coming with them, as she had last year, to provide an extra pair of hands and help Nico watch over them both. This year was definitely going to be easier, Lise and Mathias knew everyone in the paddock, and were doted on by all of them.

Lise nodded, drawing the outline of a car for her brother to colour in. It was yellow, just like papa's car, and he even got the red K on the side of the helmet.

"What do you want for your birthday?"

Nico had already packed the gifts, since they were travelling the day before Lise's birthday. She was obsessed with Lego, and he'd spent ages picking out ones that he thought she would like.

Lise had been asking for more complex things, but Nico was wary of having all the little pieces with Mathias around, so it had been agreed that she could have it, only if it stayed in her room, away from her baby brother.

He was expecting her to ask Britt for that, or anything else, even a horse, since Britt had taken them over to the stables where she worked quite a few times, but what she said surprised him.

"I want a kart." Lise's eyes lit up, and she told Britt all about how she'd been going karting every week.

Kevin stared at Nico with such force that his brain felt itchy, and just when Nico thought that his brain was going to explode, Kevin took a deep breath.

"Mum, are you okay watching the kids for a few minutes? We just need to go finish packing."

The way Britt smiled at them meant that she definitely thought that 'finish packing' was a euphemism for something else, but as long as the kids didn't see them argue, that was fine by him.

Kevin dragged Nico upstairs, and Nico could feel his palms getting sweaty.

Once they were in their bedroom and the door was shut, Nico braced himself for screaming, but Kevin just sat down on the bed, patting the bit beside him to get Nico to sit down.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you but you were so opposed to them going karting and I just couldn't find the words." Nico could feel a lump growing in his throat, he hated arguments, and the tears started welling up in his eyes.

"I just don't want them to feel forced into it." Kevin's voice was calm and level, and Nico wasn't sure why he still automatically assumed that every argument would mean shouting. His childhood was long behind him, and yet there were some things that he couldn't forget.

"I didn't. I promise." Nico held his hands up, surrendering in a fight that wasn't really a fight. "We went on a walk, and we just ended up by the karting track by accident."

"By accident?" Kevin smiled, raising an eyebrow, and Nico felt his body relax.

"Yes, she heard the sound of the engines and wanted to go watch." Nico turned to face Kevin, reaching out to hold his hands as he looked into his eyes. "You should have seen her, she lit up the second that she saw them, and I asked her if she wanted a go."

Kevin bit his lip, and Nico wanted to hug him, but he wanted him to understand first.

"There was no pressure, she knows that she can say no to anything."

"Except vegetables."

Nico laughed, the urge to indulge the children after they came to live with them had been high, but they were still the grown-ups and that meant that they had to make sure that the kids ate healthy food.

"She smiled the entire time that she was racing." Nico felt happy every time he thought about it, and he took his phone out of his pocket, showing Kevin the photos of their little racer.

Kevin nodded, he could see how happy she looked, and he leant in to give Nico a kiss on the cheek.

"People will say that we pushed her into it." Kevin cuddled in closer, and Nico rested his chin on Kevin's head, his hair still fluffy even though it was short.

"Maybe, but they'll also say that she's a natural." Nico smiled as Kevin sat back, his eyes scanning his face to see if he was joking. "She won her first race."

Kevin smiled, the look of pride on his face was unmistakable. "That's my girl."

***

Lise's birthday gifts had consisted of so many boxes of Legos that Nico was starting to wonder how they were going to get them all home. She had to wait until her brother was sleeping to play with them, and now that they were scattered around her in the middle of the hotel room, no bare foot was safe from their pointy corners.

Nico was eating his fourth piece of birthday cake as Kevin looked over data from the sim in preparation for testing the next day.

"What are you building, honey?" Britt asked, watching as Lise joined more and more of the tiny bricks together.

Lise smiled, and Nico recognised that look, she was building something amazing.

Over an hour later, Nico glanced at the time, it was past her bedtime, but since it was her birthday they'd make an exception this one time.

Kevin's soft snores filled the room, and Britt had returned to her own room for the night, leaving Mathias sleeping soundly next to his papa.

Nico was watching the Legos take form with fascination, and it wasn't until she was connecting the parts together that he realised why it all looked kind of familiar.

She had made a kart, complete with small motor, and she was now holding the remote for it with a manic grin on her face.

Nico slinked down to sit on the floor next to her, putting his finger over his lips as she nodded in agreement. He picked up the kart, holding Lise's hand tight with his free hand, and they headed out of the room, aiming for the hotel lobby that was surprisingly busy at this time of night, although with testing starting first thing tomorrow morning, it wasn't a surprise.

"Fifteen minutes, and then I need my beauty sleep," Nico said, scrunching up his face so that his eyes were pointing in opposite directions as he stuck his tongue out.

Lise laughed, her hands out so that she could hold her kart.

She put her doll in the driving seat, and giving her a helmet made from a bottle lid that she had in her pocket, clearly saving it for this use.

Nico nodded in approval, and Lise held the remote as though it held the secrets to the universe.

Her eyes lit up when she pressed the go button, and the kart flew into life, racing around the table legs as she got used to the controls.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetie." Nico brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, letting her focus on racing, and she got braver with every new move that she mastered.

Nico yawned, closing his eyes for just a second, but when he opened them the kart was nowhere to be seen, and he looked over to see the kart chasing someone.

It wasn't until they turned round that he realised it was Checo, his grey hair more prominent under the bright lights of the lobby.

"Wow, did your dad make this for you?"

"No. I made it." Lise smiled, a cheeky grin that her papa would be proud of and Checo smiled at her.

"You're going to be racing in no time." Checo shook his head, and Nico knew that feeling, having the little ones around made him feel so old sometimes.

"Already there," Nico said, smiling in pride as he picked up Lise's kart, holding out his hand to take her back to the room, "She won her first race."

Lise smiled, looking up at Checo. "I'm going to be world champion, just like my dad."


	37. Blast from the Past - 2023

Lise's love for karting had never waned, the more that she raced the more determined she was to be the best.

Nico had thought that Mathias, once he was older, would be interested, but he'd been karting a couple of times with his sister, and he didn't seem overly enthused about it either time.

On the other hand, he was fascinated with Kevin's new tattoo. It was his most detailed one yet, and Mathias had spent ages trying to copy it down, mesmerised by all the interconnecting lines.

It looked like electrons orbiting the nucleus, but it was cars zooming around many trophies, all the cars that Kevin had raced so far, and the world championships that he'd won.

They had all been up early this morning so that Lise could go karting before they went to spend the day with their grandma, so that their dads could have some quality time together for their anniversary.

It had been a busy year for both of them, and now that Lise was at school, it meant that they weren't all able to go to every race, but thankfully there hadn't been any clashes between their series so far.

Nico had picked up his third world championship, as Kevin had narrowly missed out on world championship number five.

Luckily Britt was always on standby if they needed someone to look after the kids, and they spent so much time with her that there was never an issue with getting them to settle without their dads.

They were planning on heading into Copenhagen, getting lunch and maybe wandering around the city, just the two of them. It would leave them plenty of time to be home for dinner, and well before it was time to tuck the kids into bed.

"You be good for your grandma," Nico said, kneeling so that he could give the kids a hug before they headed off towards the train station, wrapped up warm against the cool winter air.

They were strolling down towards the station when Kevin reached out to hold his hand. "They're going to be fine, we deserve a little alone time."

"We do." Nico ducked down for a quick kiss. "Happy anniversary."

"I can't believe we've been married for four years." Kevin smiled, his breath leaving trails as though smoke was coming out of his nose.

"It's funny how time flies."

*

Britt had made sure that the kids were wrapped up warm before heading to the park, there was a thin layer of snow on the ground but they weren't going to be out for long.

Lise was holding her brother's hand, making sure that he didn't get lost as they wandered along the path. On the way they passed a man with his dog, a very well behaved golden retriever, and they stopped to pet him, the dog clearly enjoying the attention.

There were a number of people out for a walk, a lot of people were on holiday already, and the schools were finished for the year.

"Don't go too far," Britt said, as she watched Lise run off towards the big swings, as Mathias headed for the roundabout, waiting for Britt to push him.

There were no other children about, but there was a woman sitting on a bench, and Britt thought that she looked familiar, but she couldn't place where she knew her from.

*

Nico and Kevin were strolling through the Christmas market, holding hands as Nico sniffed the air, the smell of strong coffee and sweet cakes wafting over to him, and Kevin knew that even though they'd just had lunch, Nico would find room for more.

They were sitting at a small stall with a vast array of cakes, sipping coffee as they watched the crowds of people bustle on by.

Nico was on his third piece of cake when his phone buzzed, and Kevin's first thought was of the kids, but when Nico pulled his phone out he saw that it was an unknown number.

"Just leave it." Kevin leant in for a kiss as Nico held the phone.

"What if it's about the kids?" He hit answer before Kevin could say anything else, he knew that if it wasn't Britt calling, it was probably just a journalist looking to chat about the championship, but he couldn't risk it. A little bit of his mind was wondering what if Britt wasn't able to call, and that didn't bear thinking about.

"Mr Nicolas Hülkenberg?"

Nico didn't recognise the voice, but the tone of it sent chills down his spine. "Yes."

"We've arrested your mother, she's being held at Roskilde police station."

"Arrested? What for?" Nico was trying to make sense of it all, what was his mum doing in Roskilde? They hadn't spoken in years.

"Attempted child abduction."

"What? Are the kids okay?" Nico's eyes were wide, his heart pounding, and Kevin was nudging his arm to try and get some answers.

"Yes, the kids are with their grandmother."

Nico breathed a sigh of relief, clutching Kevin's hand as he tried to focus. "We'll be right there."

*

Britt had been watching Mathias on the slide when she heard a blood-curdling shriek. Lise was running away from the old woman that had been sitting on the bench, and Britt picked up Mathias before rushing over to her.

"Get away from her."

Britt waited until Lise was behind her, shielded by her body. The woman was saying something but Britt didn't understand until she heard the word 'Nico'.

That was why she looked familiar, she was Nico's mum.

Britt couldn't get her to leave them alone, but she didn't understand what she was saying and she was left with no option but to call the police. She almost felt sorry for her when the police took her away, but after seeing the kids' terrified faces, she knew it was the right thing to do.

"Who was that woman?" Mathias asked, and Britt didn't know what to say, it wasn't her place to tell them.

"I don't know." Britt held Lise's hand tight the entire way home, she could see that Lise was shaken, and she just wanted to get her home, to where she felt safe.

*

Nico was restless the entire way home, willing the train to go faster as he held Kevin's hand tight, squeezing the blood out of it as he kept glancing at his phone.

Kevin had phoned Britt to check on them all, and that had put his mind at ease, but Nico still looked frantic, his leg jiggling as he stared out the window.

The second that the doors opened, Nico sprinted out through the snow, Kevin trailing behind him.

"The police station is this way," Kevin said, but Nico didn't stop, he was still sprinting towards the house.

"I need to see that the kids are okay."

Kevin was slowing, and Nico turned to look at him. "But your mum…"

Nico stopped, his lips compressed as the anger simmered below the surface. "My mum is the same woman who made my life hell growing up, she can sit in jail for another hour."

Kevin reached out to hold Nico's hand, there was nothing that that he could say to make it better, he knew that he was lucky to have parents like his.

Tears were falling down Nico's cheek, the wind stinging at them as he flew down the path, and he fumbled with his keys as Kevin reached out to hold him.

"It's all okay, the kids are fine." Kevin stroked the side of Nico's face, and Nico nodded, taking a deep breath as he opened the door.

They crept upstairs, not sure if the kids were asleep yet or not. Lise's room was empty, but the door to Mathias' room was ajar, and the slipped into the room to see the kids sleeping, Britt watching over them from a chair in the corner.

Lise was on the fold-out bed that usually lived in the spare room, laid out in front of her brother like a shield.

Kevin stepped carefully towards Britt, his eyes locked on the kids that were restless. "Lise didn't want to leave her brother alone, just in case anyone tried to take him."

Nico felt his throat get tight, and Lise sat up in bed, checking on her brother before holding her arms out for her dads. Nico rushed over to her, cuddling her in close as the tears flowed.

"She said she was my grandma."

Nico sat back so that he could look into Lise's eyes. "She's my mum." He didn't know how to tell her the truth, and he looked over at Kevin, wondering what to say. Kevin came over, pulling Lise on to his lap as Nico tried to find the words to explain it all.

"My mum didn't like me marrying your papa."

"Why?"

Nico was glad that Lise didn't look sad anymore, her curiosity always won, it was made her a great engineer.

Lise looked thoughtful, her fingers resting on her chin. "Is it because he's a boy?"

"You are too clever." Nico pressed his finger to her nose, and she puffed out her cheeks, smiling as she cuddled into her papa.

"Will we get to meet her?"

"I don't know, sweetie," Nico said, leaning in for a hug, "I have to go speak to her."

*

Nico felt like he'd been waiting forever in the reception area, the hard plastic chairs were cold and the room was draughty as the automatic door got confused by the snow.

He was shivering when the police officer came to lead him to his mum, and he wished that he'd taken up Britt's offer to make him a thermos of coffee.

Nico took a deep breath before wandering into the small interview room, glad that it had a heater. He sat until he could bear the silence no longer, the buzz of the heater roaring in the corner, echoing off the hard stone walls.

"What are you doing here?" Nico folded his arms, worried what he would do with his hands if he let them flail around.

"I just wanted to see my grandkids."

"You didn't want me in your life, but now there's kids in the picture you've changed your mind?" Nico folded his arms tight against his body, like he was hugging himself.

His mum at least had the decency to look embarrassed, and she looked at her hands, they were pale under the harsh fluorescent lights.

"You can't just show up after all these years and pretend that nothing happened."

"I know." She reached out to hold his hand, but Nico only moved further back. "I thought that you would never be happy, never have a family."

"So if there weren't kids in the picture you would still hate me?" Nico stood up to leave, he felt worse now than he did when he was waiting, his stomach twisted into knots.

"No. That's not what I meant."

There was the sound of a chair scraping against the floor, and Nico slumped back down into his seat, unable to look at her.

"Why now? After all these years, why now?" Nico wasn't sure he wanted an answer, he knew that he'd be angry if Alex or Mia had meddled in this, no matter how well-intentioned.

"We got a new minister at the church, a few years ago, and he's a little bit more… liberal."

Nico wanted to laugh, only his mum could make the word liberal sound like a dirty word.

"But he's nice, so we kept going, and I kept volunteering."

An officer wandered in with two cups of coffee, and some gingerbread biscuits. Nico recognised him, his son was in the same class as Lise, but he couldn't quite remember his name.

"Thank you." Nico sipped at the coffee, it was awful, but it was warm. "How's the little one?"

"Good, he's on his best behaviour for Santa." The officer chuckled, pushing the biscuits closer before wandering out, a pitying look in his eyes. This was going to be the talk of the town.

There was silence as Nico waited for his mum to speak, he wanted to go home and say that he'd tried his best to reconcile with her, no matter what the outcome.

"I ended up arranging the hymn sheets and flowers for a lesbian wedding, all their parents and family were there, and I felt so guilty about not being there for yours." There was a sniffle, and Nico felt tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm sorry, for all the things that I said, for not being there for you. I hope you can forgive me one day."

The words stuck in his throat, he couldn't forgive her, not yet. As much as he wanted to believe her, he would have to see proof that she had changed before he could forgive her and mean it.

"I don't expect you to just welcome me back into your life, but I was scared that if I called you'd tell me not to come."

Nico nodded, if they'd done this over the phone it probably would have been a much shorter conversation.

"How does dad feel about all of this?" Nico compressed his lips, he wasn't sure why he was still expecting the worst.

"We've both spoken to the minister a lot about you, and we've come to understand that God's love doesn't judge."

Nico let out the breath he was holding, he had to bite his tongue to stop himself saying better late than never. He nodded, it was easier than trying to form a sentence from his conflicting thoughts.

"You can't stay here tonight, the kids are still scared." Nico downed the last of his coffee, wishing that Kevin had been here to hold his hand through it all. "But you can get to know the kids, through video calls, and, depending on how that goes, we can talk about visits."

His mum smiled, and he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

*

Nico crept into the house, Britt was gone, and Kevin was sleeping in the chair in Mathias' room. He carried Kevin to bed, making sure that the nightlight was on in case the kids woke up during the night.

Kevin was sprawled over the bed, and Nico tried to slip in beside him without waking him.

"How did it go with your mum?" Kevin cuddled in, his warm breath making goose bumps ripple over his skin.

"She said sorry." Nico felt tears running down his cheeks. "I never thought I'd hear those words from her."

Kevin kissed away his tears, holding him tight as he let out a yawn. "How do you feel?"

"Relieved."


	38. Reunited - 2025

Nico sat on the sofa, the kids cuddled in around him as Kevin fidgeted with the controls on the new laptop.

The familiar bubbly ringtone of Skype blared out of the speakers, and a smile crossed Nico's face at all the times that he and Kevin had used Skype to have a little fun while they were apart.

But this was most definitely not that kind of call.

Every month, the kids called his parents, and told them all about their lives. It had been strange at first, and Mathias had refused to speak to them for at least six months, but it was easier now.

Nico was just glad that they'd decided to teach the kids German, it helped when they spent time with their cousin Lina, and their aunt and uncle. It was also nice that the kids had a sense of where he was from, and there was nothing nicer than being able to talk to the kids in his native tongue.

The longer that he spoke in Danish, the stranger it was to go back to German, and speaking to his brother and his parents was about all that he used it for.

"Hi, sweetie." The video jumped into life, Nico's mum sitting at home with the laptop that Alex had shown her how to use.

"Grandma!" Lise wriggled off the sofa so that she could sit in front of the laptop, and Mathias shuffled closer with his artwork that he'd been waiting to show to his grandparents.

Nico's mum shuffled closer to the camera, peering at the screen. "How are you?"

"We're good, Lise's excited about coming to visit next week." Nico wrapped his arm around Kevin as the kids told them everything that they'd been up to, and Mathias held his pictures up to the camera for his grandma to admire.

"Are you and grandpa going to come and see me race?" Lise asked, her hands clasped together as she waited for a response. She was going to her first race outside of Scandinavia, and she was so excited that it was in Emmerich, which meant that she could finally visit Nico's parents.

"Of course sweetie, as long as your dad is happy with it."

Lise looked up at Nico, her fingers intertwined. "Please, dad?"

Nico smiled, a little bit of him had been worried that his mum's words were just that, but over the last eighteen months she'd proved that she really did want him, and the kids in her life.

"We'd love to have you there."                                                                                               

***

The drive to Emmerich was done overnight so that the kids could sleep, and the roads would be quiet. Lise's kart was in the trailer, and the boot was filled with their bags, including all of Lise's race gear and helmet.

Nico had a new appreciation for what his parents went through to take him karting as a child.

They were going to stay with Alex and Mia, as they had before, since the kids knew them well, and it meant that little Lina could have some company. Although she was thirteen now, and taller than her mum.

It made Nico feel old just thinking about it, and he glanced in the rear-view mirror to see his two angels sleeping, both of them worn out from packing, and the excitement of visiting their grandparents.

Nico had driven all night, not wanting to stop and disturb the kids, even though Kevin had offered to split the driving, he was sleeping so peacefully in the passenger seat that Nico didn't want to wake him. It had been a busy season this year in F1, and Kevin deserved a chance to catch up on his sleep.

He pulled up in the driveway outside Alex and Mia's house, the sun just starting to peek over the horizon as he stroked the side of Kevin's face, and he blinked a few times before sitting up.

"Morning." Kevin glanced around, his brow wrinkled in confusion. "Where are we?"

"Emmerich."

"You should have woken me."

Nico smiled, leaning in for a kiss while the kids were still asleep. "You're cute when you're asleep."

Lise rubbed at her eyes, glancing around and looking every bit like her papa's girl. "Are we here?"

"Yes."

Lise cheered, and Mathias didn't look pleased about being woken up, but when he saw where they were he smiled.

Nico felt good about being home in Emmerich for the first time since he'd left when he was just fifteen.

"Let's go say hi to your aunt and uncle."

*

The kids had rushed out to the garden to see their cousin, leaving the grownups to chat, and Nico to get a coffee so that he didn't spend the day sleeping.

Mia put a heaped teaspoon of coffee into a cup for Nico, but he wasn't sure that would be enough. "Maybe one more just for luck."

"You won't sleep tonight with that much coffee." Mia laughed, adding another spoon before stirring the jet black coffee.

Nico added three sugars and a splash of milk, but the coffee still had a darkness to it. He took a sip, before wrinkling his nose and downing the rest of it as the others laughed.

"You should go get a nap," Kevin said, reaching out to hold his hand as he shuffled closer.

"I'm fine, I've had my coffee and that'll get me through the day." Nico laughed as the sizzle of bacon hitting the pan filled the room with a smell that had Nico's mouth watering.

"The kids will be fine with us," Alex said, shuffling the bacon around the pan as Nico watched carefully, "Melina's found a tent when we were clearing the spare room, and now she wants to camp in the back garden while Lise and Mathias are here."

"And she's decided that she's too grown up to be called Lina anymore." Mia smiled, although Nico knew that phase, when he no longer wanted to be known by his own name, although no-one ever called him Nicholas, not even his parents.

"I can't believe that she's thirteen now," Kevin said, smiling as he shook his head. Nico felt the same when Lise had turned eleven a couple of months ago.

"She'll always be our little girl," Mia said, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Food's ready, are you happy to eat in the garden?" Alex stacked the bacon rolls on to a plate, leaving the pan to cool as he grabbed his coffee with his free hand.

"Sound's good, I think fresh air will keep this one awake," Kevin said, glancing over at Nico who was starting to slump down in his chair.

"I'm awake." Nico's eyes flew open, and they followed Alex out to the garden, where a large tent was sitting in the middle of the lawn.

Mathias rushed over the second that they stepped out on to the patio. "Dad, papa, can we sleep in the tent tonight?"

Kevin ruffled Mathias' hair, making him smile. "As long as it's fine with your cousin."

Melina cheered, she and Lise were looking through something on Melina's tablet, and Nico had fight the urge to go over and see what they were up to.

Mathias rushed back over to them, and Nico caught a glimpse of what they were up to, it was the drawing app that Mathias used at home. He was drawing something for them, and Nico felt all his nerves fade away.

The caffeine was surging through his veins, and the soft summer breeze felt nice on his face, keeping him awake as he scoffed down two bacon rolls without batting an eyelid.

"Mum's expecting us all for dinner tonight, since you don't have to set up at the track until tomorrow."

Nico nodded, the calls had been going well, but he hadn't seen his mum since Christmas, and he'd stopped by on the way home after visiting Paul in Monaco.

"It'll be good for the kids to meet them when we're all around."

Everyone nodded, smiling in agreement, and Nico wished that he felt as confident about it.

*

The kids were cleaned up and ready for dinner, but Nico felt his heart pound as he got closer to his parent's house, and he was just glad that Kevin was driving.

He kept telling himself that the past was in the past, and he intended to keep it there.

His mum was so thrilled to see the kids, but he couldn't stop a little bit of his mind wondering if it was just an act, or if she'd really changed. Being nice once a month over the phone was very different to being nice in person.

"It's good to see you again, Nico." His mum came in for a hug, and Nico felt a lump in his throat, the feeling that for so many years they could have been part of his life if only they hadn't been so stubborn.

But that was all in the past.

"It's good to see you." Nico could feel Kevin's hand resting on his back, a nice reminder that he was there for him.

His dad shook his hand, and Nico could see the pain in his eyes, but that was all going to change.

They were a family again, and he was going to make sure that he put in the effort to keep them in his life, for the kids, and his brother, as much as himself.

The rest of the evening felt like something out of a film, those scenes where the whole family gathers to eat and everyone's chatting and telling jokes, and they're all happy.

His parents doted on the kids, and Mathias, who was usually shy around new people, was smiling and drawing things for them on the napkins while the grownups had their coffee.

Nico was so proud of his family, and so grateful that Kevin was there to hold his hand through all of it.

*

That night the kids camped in the backyard, the grownups drinking wine as the stars shone down on them. All they could see of the kids were their silhouettes cast by the dim light of the torch.

Kevin was cuddled in next to him, and they were chatting away, until Mia pointed up at the sky.

"It's a shooting star, you better make a wish."

Nico smiled as he wished for the one thing that he always wished for – that those he loved would be happy.

***

Race day was finally here, all the preparation, the effort had led Lise to pole position, and she was sure that she could win the race.

The visor was down, and she was on the grid, waiting for the lights to go out.

Nico felt his heart race, and he reached out to hold Kevin's hand, Mathias standing in front of them so that he could get a good view to watch his sister race.

Lise kept the lead, and she was pulling away with every lap.

It felt like time had slowed, and Nico watched the laps count down, until it was the final lap.

He was sure that Lise was going to win, and he was smiling.

Until she went to dodge round one of the backmarkers, and their tyres touched.

Lise was heading straight into the tyre barrier, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Nico cried out in frustration, but there was nothing he could do.

Lise was climbing out and shaking her head, and they all rushed round to meet her.

Nico was the first in with the hugs, followed by her brother and papa until they were one big group hug.

"You had a really good race," Nico said, and Kevin smiled in agreement.

"Until I crashed out." Lise pouted, looking down at her damaged kart.

"Crashes happen to the best of us." Nico had crashed out a few weeks ago in his last race, when a GT had spun out and clipped him on the way.

Nico pulled a funny face, hoping that it would cheer her up but Lise only rolled her eyes.

"I'm not a kid anymore." Lise was trying to look upset but Nico was still pulling funny faces, and the corner of her lips twitched up. "You know you married a dork, right papa?"

Kevin laughed, pulling at Nico's puffed out cheeks as Lise finally smiled. "I know, that's what I love about him."

Nico stuck his tongue out, and Kevin went in for a kiss, far more passionate than their usual kisses in public, or in front of the kids.

"Papa, dad, get a room." Lise laughed, and Nico felt proud that his family was together again.

No matter what the race result, they were all happy, and that was all that he ever wished for.


	39. Forty - 2027

Kevin was away racing for the weekend, but the kids had school. As much as Britt was always happy to look after them, he was their father, and he wanted to be there for them.

Mathias was playing a video game, his homework had all been finished before dinner, and he had turned the volume down low so that his sister could study.

Nico had never managed more than a few phrases in French, and yet here he was trying to stumble through the sentences so that he could help Lise with her homework.

"It's okay dad, I can manage it."

"Sorry, sweetie, I was never any good at French." Nico tried to think who he knew that would be able to help, and he came up with a list of one. "I think your Uncle Will might be able to help you."

Lise laughed, she had so many uncles that it was verging on ridiculous, but it came in handy when she wanted tips and tricks for her karting. And it looked like it was going to be useful for her languages too.

"How come papa doesn’t speak French?" Lise asked, her face scrunched up as she was thinking.

"He just never learned." Nico knew that feeling, he'd raced for a lot of teams, and everyone always spoke English, so there was no incentive to learn the language.

He went to find his laptop, and he scrolled through his contacts, looking for Will, before trying to work out what the time difference was and failing.

Nico hit call, hoping that it wasn't too late, and it rang for a while before Will appeared on screen.

"Hi, how are you?"

There was some chat about racing, but Nico could see Lise getting impatient. "Do you speak French?"

Nico twisted the screen so that he could see Lise. "Someone needs help with her homework and I only know a few sentences."

"Sure, what I can help you with?"

Lise chatted away in French as Nico went to find his phone, it was almost time to call Kevin, and update them on their activities for the day. Not that he'd actually done anything apart from feed the kids and take them to school.

He was grateful for every moment that he got with the kids, glad that he was getting to see them grow up.

Nico knew that Kevin missed being around, but school had to come first, so it wasn't as easy to take them to the races now as it was when they were little.

Lise brought back his laptop with a smile on her face, just in time to speak to her papa, and she told him all about how Uncle Will helped her with her French homework.

Nico went down to see Mathias had finished playing his game, and Nico went to check his room. He was sitting at the desk drawing, but he didn't look happy.

"Mathias, come speak to your papa."

"I don't want to."

"What's wrong?" Nico crept closer, not wanting to disturb him, but he had to check that he was okay.

"I wanted him to come to the art fair." Mathias was drawing with such force that the paper was starting to tear, and Nico wrapped his arm around his shoulder.

"I know, but he has to race this weekend." Nico brought Mathias into a hug, stroking his back as he calmed down. "You know he really wants to be there."

Nico wanted to promise that Kevin would go to the next one, but it was too early in the year to have any idea what next year's race calendar would look like, and he didn't want to make promises that couldn't be kept. That was worse.

"I'll be there, and your Grandma Britt will be there, and your sister will be there." Nico knew that it was just unfortunate that the last day of school and the last F1 race weekend before the summer break were the same weekend, but it wasn't going to be the last time that things clashed.

Nico left Mathias drawing as he told Kevin everything, and the pain in Kevin's voice was clear, but there was no way that he could miss both the Friday practice sessions, no matter how much he wanted to be there.

"What time is it on?" Kevin asked, and Nico could hear him plotting.

"Ten til two."

"I have a plan."

*

Nico arrived at the school to see Mathias waiting for him, Lise was already there with her friends, strolling around the gym hall that had been turned into an art gallery for the day.

Mathias showed Nico everything, and he recorded it all with his phone, so that Mathias could show Kevin once he was home. He made sure that his own art was the last thing that Nico saw, and Nico was in awe of it.

He'd come so far since those first drawings that he used to colour in, and there were bits of Kevin's tattoo incorporated into the surreal landscape, an abstract dream world filled with vivid colours.

"You are very talented, I'm so proud of you." Nico hugged Mathias, glancing at his watch as he smiled to himself. "Your papa has a surprise for you."

Nico held out his phone, and at twelve on the dot, it started ringing, Kevin's picture filling up the tiny screen.

"I really wanted to see your artwork." Kevin smiled, and Mathias beamed with pride as he held the phone up to his picture, telling his papa all about it.

They didn't have long together, and they weren't always able to be there in person, but as a family, they made sure they were there when it counted.

***

Nico wasn't sure how he'd let Kevin and the kids talk him into having a party for his fortieth, but now that everyone was here, he felt younger just by being surrounded by those that he loved.

There was also a lot of cake, and Nico was in danger of not being able to fit back into his race suit after the summer break.

It was at time like this that Nico realised how lucky he was to have so many good friends, and a loving family. His parents had come up for the weekend, and the kids seemed happy to have their cousins around. Half the town seemed have stopped by to wish him happy birthday, and Nico couldn't believe that he'd been here for eight years.

After all the time spent moving around between teams and factories, he finally had a place to call home.

Nico hadn't seen Kevin in a while, and he went up to the bedroom to see if he was feeling alright.

It took him a while to get there, stopping to chat to everyone on the way, but when he saw the bedroom door was shut he assumed that Kevin would be having a lie down.

He opened the door to see two people having sex under the blanket, blond hair poking out the top of it.

"Kevin?"

Everyone froze, and Nico could see exactly who was in his bed, Jo.

The blush on Jo's cheeks had Nico assuming the worst. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, his blood was like ice through his veins, until Marcus sat up.

"Oh thank god it's just you." Nico laughed, mainly to diffuse the awkward situation, and he shook his head as he stepped back out of the room. "There's a lock on the door." He pointed to it as he shut the door, and he waited until he heard the scuffling of footsteps, followed by the lock clicking into place.

He was just heading down the stairs when he saw Kevin, and he pulled him into a big hug, squeezing him tight.

"Have you seen Jo? His brother's looking for him."

Nico laughed, and Kevin looked at him with confusion written all over his face. "He's a little busy right now."

Kevin grinned, nodding in appreciation.

"Hang on, you knew that those two were… you know, together, and you didn't tell me?"

"It's not my secret to tell." Kevin held his hands up as though he was surrendering, and Nico snorted in laughter. "Anyway, I only found out because I walked in on them 'having fun' in a room at the back of the motorhome."

Nico laughed, it felt like so long ago that they were doing that, stolen kisses in cupboards as they snuck around at the back of various motorhomes.

"It's sweet." Nico leant in for another kiss, but then there was a blood curdling scream from the living room.

Kevin rushed through the crowd, holding Nico's hand tight as they headed towards the source of the noise.

Nico was kneeling in front of Lise, checking her arms and face for blood, before glancing around to see Mathias and Melina standing with Alex.

"What's wrong sweetie? Are you hurt?" Nico's eyes were darting around, trying to see who was injured, but there was no sign of blood anywhere.

Paul moved, and Nico saw what had happened. His trophy had fallen, and a bit had chipped off the top.

"I'm so sorry dad."

"It's okay sweetie, it can be fixed." Nico gave Lise a big a hug, and he held her tight until he was sure that she was calm.

"You're not angry?"

"No. It's just a trophy, as long as you're not hurt, that's all that matters." Nico brushed a strand of hair out of Lise's face before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"We'll just glue it like last time," Kevin said, before grinning with his eyebrows raised.

"Last time?" Nico stared at Kevin, still smiling as he stood up, Lise cuddled in under his arm.

Kevin glanced at Paul, and they both looked guilty. "It was an accident then too, the little one knocked it over."

Nico laughed, Paul's 'little one' hadn't been little for a while now, and he'd never noticed that the trophy had been damaged and repaired.

"It's okay." Nico grinned at Lise, she had quite a collection of her own trophies now, and the house was filled with them.

"I'll just have to win a new one next year."


	40. Ten Years - 2029

The year had been hectic for all of them, Lise had exams, and Mathias had started high school. Lise's karting had taken up more and more of her time, and Kevin had struggled to make time for the kids with twenty-three race weekends.

"I think I'm too old for F1," Kevin said, cuddling into Nico as they drank coffee on the balcony, even though there was frost on the ground. Their two teenage children wouldn't be up until nearly midday, enjoying the rare lie in that they got.

The F1 season had finished just before the kids had finished school, they'd only been able to make a few of the races this year, although it was for the best that they saw school as a priority, they would always have the holidays for that.

"Oh god don't say that." Nico laughed as he shook his head, reaching out for the rapidly cooling coffee, its heat escaping in little wisps.

"I've always wanted to race in America, like dad."

Nico nodded, looking down at Kevin's big blue eyes that were staring up at him. "Oh wow, have you got an offer?"

"Sort of, Andretti have a seat waiting for me if I want it."

"How could you not tell me about it?" Nico took a deep breath, he didn't want to sound judgemental, he'd done the very same when he'd left for WEC.

"I didn't want to upset the kids with the thought that I might not be around as much. Although they've got twenty-five races lined up for F1 next year."

Nico knew that a couple would end up being cancelled or falling through, but even twenty-three had been an exhausting schedule, and it hadn't left a lot of time for them to do anything as a family. WEC and its nine weekends a year was much more manageable, even if they did have Britt helping them out.

"You know we'll support you, no matter what you choose." Nico reached out to intertwine their fingers, Kevin's hand was warm from where it had been in his pocket.

"I know, I was thinking that we could all go across together, as a family, while I sort the contract out."

Nico ducked down for a kiss, Kevin had been the one organising their tenth wedding anniversary, and Nico had been sure that they would end up back in Las Vegas, where they went on honeymoon all those years ago.

"I know it probably wasn't what you were thinking of, taking the kids with us on our anniversary holiday, but I'd like to spend as much time as possible with you all."

"I can't think of a better way to spend our anniversary." Nico went in for another kiss, his hands roaming lower as Kevin shuffled over so that he was sitting on his lap.

"And the kids are old enough to have their own room."

Nico grinned, resting his forehead against Kevin's as he stared into his eyes. "Even better."

***

The kids had been excited all week, they hadn't been to America for a very long time, since they were little enough to go to all the races without missing school.

Even though it was December, most of the packing had involved making sure that they had enough sunscreen for their pale children. Kevin could still remember the time that Mathias had got sunburnt here in Denmark, on an unusually warm spring day, and the following few days while the burns healed had been torture for all of them.

He couldn't bear to see that happen to his babies.

Once he'd checked that the kids had packed enough clothes, including ones that would shield them from the sun, he loaded up the car, stopping at his mum's on the way to the airport so that he could say goodbye.

He would phone her the second that they landed in Indianapolis, their first stop before heading onwards to Las Vegas. It was just a day that Kevin needed to finalise all the paperwork, and shake hands for the camera, and he was sure that Nico and the kids would be able to find some way to entertain themselves while he did that.

Kevin had hoped that the kids would sleep on the plane, like they did when they were little, but they were both too excited to sleep.

Mathias was drawing as Lise was watching videos of old races, watching Nico winning the GP2 title as a rookie all those years ago.

Nico smiled with pride at his two talented children, and he wrapped his arm around Kevin, who was sound asleep next to him.

They were half way across the Atlantic when Kevin woke up, the smell of food filling the cabin, and Nico envied his ability to sleep, but one of them had to keep an eye on the kids.

A smiling flight attendant approached, a tray of champagne carefully balanced in her hand, and Kevin smiled.

"I was told that it was your tenth wedding anniversary." She handed a glass to Kevin, and to Nico. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Nico toasted with Kevin, but the flight attendant was still standing there.

"Would you like a glass, Miss?"

"Nope, she's fifteen." Nico didn't even give Lise a chance to answer, but he knew what was coming.

"But dad..." Lise's green eyes were staring at him, and she gave him a playful nudge.

"When you're older." Nico turned round to see Kevin looking at him, and he knew that he was outnumbered. "Fine, one sip."

Lise took a sip and her face scrunched up, her nose wrinkled as she handed the champagne flute back to Nico.

"It tastes funny."

Nico laughed, and Kevin smiled at them both. "It tastes much better on the top step of the podium."

Lise smiled, and Nico could see her picturing it already, so far her competitions were all for juniors, but soon she would be moving up to bigger and better things, and real champagne on the podium.

*

The kids had spent the day running around the Andretti factory, admiring all the cars as Kevin signed the paperwork. They had insisted on staying, although Lise was happy with it all.

Kevin smiled as he shook hands for the camera. He was going to race in Indy Car, and have a chance at winning the Indy 500.

It was a dream come true.

*

The kids were exhausted by the time they got on their flight for Las Vegas, they were going to be arriving late, but that meant that it would be easy to get them to sleep, and avoid the jet lag.

Kevin slept curled up under his arm, full of burgers and chips that they had devoured at the airport, and the kids were dozing.

Nico looked over his family, amazed at all the wonderful times that they'd had together, and he felt so proud. Long ago he'd doubted his ability as a parent, and now he couldn't imagine his life without Lise and Mathias.

They all zombie walked out to the taxi, glad for the trolley for all the bags, and it was a short ride to the hotel, the same place that they had stayed for their honeymoon.

Nico carried Mathias up to the room, he could sleep through the apocalypse, and it was easier for all if he wasn't disturbed. He took after his papa, and was grumpy if he was woken up.

Lise made herself comfy, her headphones still in as she fell asleep, her nightie one of Nico's old Force India shirts that was comically big on her.

Nico crept back through to their room, expecting to see Kevin asleep already from the way that he'd been yawning, but he was naked in bed, arms folded behind his head as he dragged his eyes over Nico. He had the biggest grin on his face, and Nico clicked the little lock into place, knowing that the kids were sound asleep for the night.

Fidgeting with his glasses, Nico was torn between wanting to tease Kevin and wanting to rush over to him, enjoy every second that they had together.

In the end he tried to slowly strip out of his jeans, but he only ended stumbling over his shoes as he edged closer to the bed.

"Come here." Kevin beckoned Nico with little more than a crook of his finger, and Nico rushed to strip out of his clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor as he crawled onto the bed.

"I've missed you." Nico bit at his lip, they'd stayed in touch all year through video calling, but it wasn't the same as actually being there, waking up in each other's arms.

"I've missed you too." Kevin reached out to take Nico's glasses off, setting them down carefully on the bedside table as Nico made himself comfy between Kevin's legs. "How about we make up for lost time?"

Nico went in for a messy kiss, leaving Kevin breathless as their bodies rubbed together, his hands wandering down to squeeze at his perfect rear, and Nico took his opportunity to roll Kevin over onto his stomach, trailing kisses down his back.

Kevin looked beautiful stretched out in front of him, and Nico kissed every freckle, making sure that Kevin was breathless as he nuzzled between his cheeks, his tongue flicking out to tease at his hole.

"I've missed that tongue of yours." Kevin buried his face in the pillow, muffling his moans as Nico's talented tongue licked into him, so warm and intimate, leaving him breathless as Nico reached down to stroke himself, slicking up his cock with his pre-come as Kevin's whimpers got more desperate.

"Is that the only thing that you've missed?" Nico pressed his cock against his hole, ducking down so that he could kiss at Kevin's ear, teasing him with his tongue.

"I've missed all of you." Kevin arched his back, pressing himself against Nico as he waited for him to thrust in, his hands twisted in the sheets as Nico held his hips tight, sliding inside him as he let out a groan.

"I forgot how good you feel wrapped around me." Nico knew that his voice was going straight to Kevin's cock, and he leant over him as he bottomed out, kissing the back of his neck as he gave Kevin a moment to adjust.

"I forgot how good you feel inside me." Kevin clenched around him, groaning out loud as Nico started to thrust, his hands holding Kevin's hips tight as he picked up the pace, leaving them both breathless as Kevin's moans got louder, more desperate and Nico ended up slamming into him, the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing around the room.

Nico reached round to stroke at Kevin's already leaking cock, needy gasps for more falling from his lips as Nico struggled to keep up the pace, his muscles clenching tight around him as warm come spurted over his hand. He bit his lip as his orgasm washed over him, sparks flying through his body as he filled Kevin with his come, still shuddering with the aftershocks as he slumped over him.

Once he'd caught his breath he rolled them over on to their sides, their bodies still joined as Nico whispered sweet nothings to Kevin, not caring that they were both sticky and sweaty.

Kevin's soft snores filled the room, he looked so peaceful and angelic as he slept.

"Sweet dreams, my angel."

*

The next morning Nico woke up with a smile on his face, Kevin wrapped up in his arms and the sound of the kids chatting away in the room next to them.

When they headed down to breakfast, Kevin admired Mathias' drawings, as Lise yawned.

"Didn't you sleep well sweetie?"

Lise shook her head. "You two need to learn to come quietly."

Nico blushed as Kevin laughed, and Mathias looked confused.

"We'll explain it to you when you're older."


	41. Retired - 2031

Nico was waiting for it all to hit home. He was no longer racing.

He'd thought that he would miss it, but Kevin, and Lise, were racing enough for them all.

Lise had joined the German F4, and Kevin was about to start his second year in Indy Car.

"What are you thinking about?" Kevin asked, bringing Nico a cup of coffee, as he stared out of the window, the house quiet now that the kids were at school.

Nico shuffled over on the sofa so that Kevin could sit next to him, cuddling in as he reached out to hold his hand.

"Missing your dad?"

Nico shook his head, yet it felt strange knowing that his dad wasn't with them anymore. The funeral had offered him some closure, but he still wondered if he was just waiting for it all to catch up with him.

"I feel bad that I don't feel bad about it." Nico rested his head on Kevin's shoulder, his streaks of grey shining in the early morning light.

"He made his choices. At least you got to say good bye."

Nico nodded, cuddling in closer to Kevin. "I know."

"Whatever happens, we'll all be here for you." Kevin leant in for a kiss, resting his forehead against Nico's.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

***

Nico was making breakfast when Kevin approached, grin on his face as he slid his phone over to Nico.

"You booked flights?"

Nico peered closely at the screen, trying to read the small print, when he saw what the dates were.

"The kids have school, I thought we agreed they weren't to miss school to watch races."

"Fly out Friday evening, fly back Sunday afternoon after the race," Kevin said, reaching out to hold Nico's hand, "They'll be tired but they won't miss any school."

Nico held his hands up as though he was surrendering, and Kevin smiled, the wrinkles on his face getting deeper with each passing year.

"I want you all to be there when I win the Indy 500." Kevin laughed, but Nico knew he was still a little annoyed about crashing out of the race last year.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, and the kids will be thrilled." Nico leant over for a kiss, the smell of bacon filling the kitchen as the kids appeared.

"Do you want to tell them?" Nico grinned, dishing up the food as the kids cheered. They loved travelling, it had been a part of their lives ever since they came to live with them.

*

Two weeks flew past, and the kids were running out of school as they headed for the car, jumping in like they were fleeing the scene of a crime.

Nico had made them pack at the weekend, and then check that they definitely had everything last night. Lise had packed her helmet, and her race suit, and Grandad Jan had promised to take her karting while she was there.

Britt was sitting in the passenger seat, chatting away to the kids about their day as Nico drove to the airport, it was starting to feel like their second home.

The kids slept on the flight after they'd got their dinner, and Nico felt at peace. He didn't want to admit it, but he missed having Kevin around, and he longed for the day that the four of them were in the same country on a regular basis.

He knew that Kevin was living his dream, and he couldn't bear the thought of being the one who got in the way of that. The day that they were married he'd sworn to support Kevin, no matter what life threw at them, and he intended to live up to that promise.

*

Kevin met them at the airport, the kids zombie walking out to the car after they'd got a hug from their papa. Nico got a kiss, and he still felt a strange thrill at kissing in public, after it had been off-limits for so long.

"I've missed you." Nico was herding the kids towards the exit as he pulled the trolley with the bags.

"I've missed you too."

Kevin leant in, and Nico smiled, wrapping his arm around his waist.

"Once the kids are settled I need to speak to you."

That wiped the smile right off Nico's face. "Sure."

*

The kids were sleeping and Britt was watching tv, comfy in the little flat that Kevin had for when he was in the States.

Nico could feel his heart pounding, and his smile was stretched over his face, wondering what Kevin needed to talk about.

"If I win the Indy 500…" Kevin took a breath, and Nico feared the worst.

Would he want to stay? Try and win the championship?

"… I'm going to retire at the end of the year."

"Wow."

"I've been thinking about it for a while, all this travelling, it's a young man's game." Kevin laughed, he was only thirty-eight, but he'd started when he was just four years old. "I've been doing this for nearly thirty-five years, and it's time for a break."

"Whatever you decide, we'll all be here for you."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Kevin cuddled in under Nico's arm, making himself comfortable as Nico ducked down for a quick kiss.

"The kids will be glad to have you around more, especially Mathias, he doesn't say it, but he misses you."

Kevin held out his phone so that Nico could see his lock screen, a picture of the four of them. He wasn't usually one for that sort of thing, when he was home it was just the default, and Nico smiled when he realised that Kevin must have changed it every time he was away.

"I miss you guys too."

*

Race day came round in a blur of hugs and catching up, it had been ages since the kids had seen their Grandpa Jan, and their aunt and uncle, although they were all close enough in age to be cousins.

Nico was clutching at his wedding ring, hoping for Kevin to win, not just to see his husband achieve his dreams, but so that he could retire from racing, spend time with his family.

Two hundred laps had never felt so long, the numbers taunting him as they counted down.

Nico felt like he hadn't taken a breath for the entire time, and when Kevin sped past the finish line, the roar of the cheers for him were deafening.

The kids were jumping up and down, and even Mathias looked thrilled for his papa. Jan had a tear in his eye, and they all ended up in a group hug.

Nico had never been more proud of Kevin, he'd set out to do something, and he'd done it.

***

Saying good bye to Kevin at the airport was a common occurrence, but now that the F4 was in full swing, Lise was away for the weekends as well, with Nico accompanying her.  

Which meant that Mathias had been spending a lot of time with Britt, and Nico felt a little guilty about that.

Nico had convinced him to come to a couple of races when it didn't clash with school, and as much as he was happy to support his sister, Nico could tell that he'd be happy just showing up for qualifying and the race, rather than spending four days hanging around the back of a garage.

When Nico was home he made sure that he got quality time with Mathias, but he could sense that he wasn't happy about it all.

Nico was also convinced that he was the wrong person to be Lise's coach, he couldn't override the part of him that was her father, the bit that wanted to comfort her after a bad race rather than going through data.

But he was sure that he knew the right person for the job.

He picked up his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found the one that he was looking for, and he hit dial.

It rang a few times, and then a familiar voice picked up.

"Bored of being retired?" Carmen's voice hadn't changed in all the years that they'd been friends, and she'd aged a lot more gracefully than he had.

Nico laughed, Carmen was still racing a few weekends a year, never quite able to walk away from it all.

"No, but I know a little racer that needs a coach." Nico fidgeted with the hem of his hoodie, wondering why he was playing games when Carmen was one of the most direct people he knew.

"I saw, little Lise is doing well in the F4." Carmen was smiling, and it warmed Nico's heart to know that she was following Lise's career.

"She is, but I'm not the right person to push her towards the title."

"I'm not sure I know anyone that's looking for clients."

There was the sound of fabric being rustled, like Carmen was packing, and Nico wondered if he'd called at a bad time.

"I was wondering if you wanted to try your hand at being a coach." Nico held his breath while there was silence on the line. "You always said that you wanted to help bring through the next generation of racers."

"You want me to be her coach?"

"Yes. If you're interested."

"It's the Österreichring this weekend, no?"

"Yes." Nico smiled, and he heard the sound of a heavy-duty zip, like the kind that suitcases have.

"I'll see you there."


	42. Mathias - 2033

Nico was watching Mathias paint, the sound of engines blaring out of the tv, but he couldn't watch. It was somehow worse not being there in person, and every time that Lise was racing up close he had to close his eyes.

Kevin on the other hand, had coped with it all, not batting an eyelid as Lise diced her way through the field, and Nico felt his heart pound in his chest as she started the final lap.

He couldn't look away.

Lise crossed the line third, and Kevin cheered as Nico breathed a sigh of relief. Carmen flashed up on the screen, looking proud of her protégé, and Nico was glad that he'd found someone to help support Lise through her career.

Nico had all his fingers crossed that Lise would win the F3 title this year, and then it would be straight on to F2, which was where all the F1 teams did their shopping for new young drivers.

Lise had never considered the possibility that she wouldn't get to F1, and from the way things were going, it was only a matter of time.

Nico knew he wouldn't get a phone call from Lise until much later, but he got a message from Carmen, saying that she'd send all the photos from the podium his way.

"Carmen says hi." Nico showed Kevin the text as Mathias cleared away his brushes.

Kevin smiled, patting his pockets and checking that he had his phone and wallet.

"Is everyone ready to go?"

Nico looked around for his shoes, pushing his glasses back up on his nose as Mathias herded him towards the front door.

It was so lovely to see Mathias so excited for the college open day, and Nico knew that they would take one look at his work and accept him immediately.

The garage was starting to become Mathias' studio, and for the smaller pieces, he always used the dining room, as he had done ever since he was a little boy.

Nico couldn't believe that both his children were grown-ups now, but to him they would always be his little angels.

He shuffled into his shoes, glad that everyone else was organised, and they all bundled into the car, heading towards Copenhagen.

*

They were half way there when Mathias looked up from his phone, and Nico was about to ask him if he was excited, when Mathias spoke first.

"Dad, can I ask you something?"

Nico felt his blood run cold, the kids had never really asked about their biological parents, and as the years went on Nico wasn't sure how they would even start trying to find them if the kids wanted to know where they were. He couldn't even deal with the idea of the kids wanting to talk to them, meet them, although if that was what they wanted, he would do his absolute best to support them.

"Sure."

"When did you know that you liked guys?"

Nico felt his heart rate slow, laughing softly to cover the fact that he was taking a minute to steady himself.

Kevin chuckled, not taking his eyes off the road. "I always knew, even before I knew what attraction was, I liked guys in a very different way to the way I liked girls."

Mathias blushed, and Nico twisted around in his seat so that he could look at Mathias.

"What about you?"

"Me?" Nico wished that he could say the same as Kevin, make it all sound easy but it wasn't like that for him. "I thought that I liked girls in school, but when I left home I thought that I only liked girls because everyone else did. And then I thought that I only liked guys as a way of rebelling against my parents, even though they didn't know. It took me until I was twenty-one to realise that I liked guys more than girls, and another decade to realise that I was bi, but I'd already met your papa by then and I love him so much that I can't imagine being with anyone else so labels really don't matter to me anymore."

"Woah." Mathias smiled, his eyes locked on his phone, and Nico reached back to rest his hand on his knee.

"Why do you ask?"

"Leo was teasing me about not having a girlfriend, but I'm not sure if I want a girlfriend or not and yet everyone else seems to just know who they like." Mathias took a deep breath, and Nico gave his knee a squeeze. "I just thought I was strange for not knowing, but at least I know I'm not alone."

"As long as you're happy-"

"And you practice safe sex," Kevin cut in, making everyone laugh.

"That too. Your happiness is all that matters to us, no matter who you end up falling in love with."

"Thanks, dad."

Nico tried to hug Mathias, but there wasn't space, and he didn't want to end up distracting Kevin while he drove. Mathias went back to his phone, but while Nico was replaying the conversation he had another question.

"Who's Leo? Have we met him?"

"Our cousin 'who's not really a cousin but we kind of grew up together' Leo."

"Oh god, Paul's little one." Nico let out a groan, he was only forty-five, how could he be forgetting things like that already. Although he'd called him little one for so long that it was stuck that way in his head.

"He's my age, dad."

"You'll always be our little ones, no matter how old you get."

Mathias laughed, and all was right with the world.

*

That night they sat eating ice cream and cake, celebrating Mathias going to art college.

He'd called his sister to tell her the good news, and Nico could hear her squealing at the news, clearly happy for her brother.

They were chatting away as Nico waited for the pizza to cook, not caring that they'd eaten dinner in the wrong order. It made him feel young again, breaking the rules, even silly little ones like this.

"Is your sister happy for you?" Nico smiled, they'd heard almost all of it, but it was nice just to see Mathias smile.

"She is, she said she knew that I could do it."

"We all did." Nico rushed over for a hug, and Kevin piled into it too. "We're all so proud of you."

"I know, and I love you guys."

***

Six months later they were all sitting together as a family, everyone crammed in together and making their normally spacious home seem cramped, but it was worth it to have everyone close.

Lise was telling everyone about how she won the F3 championship, not that everyone hadn't already heard, but it was different when people were around in person.

Melina was telling everyone about how she was loving studying architecture, both of her parents beaming with pride, and Nico had been so happy for her when she got accepted to university.

Even Mathias, who was usually quiet around other people, was telling everyone all about college, and showing them his pieces that he'd worked on so far.

Nico was so proud of them all, not just because of their successes, but because they were happy.

That was the most important thing.


	43. The Dream - 2035

Kevin was happy for Lise, but of all the F1 teams that she could have signed for, why did it have to be McLaren?

They were excited to have the first third generation driver, and she was thrilled to have a drive in Formula One.

"Your room will always be here for you." Kevin was watching her pack, he knew that this day would come, she was twenty and there was no way that she was going to live at home forever.

Lise had a flat near the factory in Woking all lined up, and she was moving her things across this weekend, with the help of her dads, and her brother.

Mathias seemed quiet, although he was busy at college, and he had been getting together his portfolio for university interviews, but Kevin had no doubt that they would accept him.

It was a big change, for the last fifteen years they had all lived here under the same roof, always been there for each other, and now Lise was going to live in another country.

*

Nico was sitting with Mathias, helping him pick out pieces, but he knew that it wasn't the real reason that Mathias had asked him to help.

"I don't want Lise to leave."

"I know, but she has to go live her life, just as you have to live yours."

"She's always been there for me." Mathias flinched when he saw Nico's face, the smile that he had when things got deep.

"And she always will be there for you, she's your sister, and that doesn't change just because you're living in different countries." Nico shuffled closer so that he could hug Mathias, holding him until he felt calm. "You know there's lots of European races, and we can always find a way to be in the paddock with your sister. You just have to say the word and I'll make it happen."

"Thanks, dad."

"Once your sister has finished packing, how about we all head down to the beach? Your sister is going to miss being by the water."

Mathias smiled, it was far too cold to be going in the sea, but it would be nice to get fresh air before the sun set.

"I'll go and ask her." Mathias scurried off to chat to his sister, and from the happy voices she was clearly glad for a chance to say good bye to the sea that she'd played in for most of her life.

Nico looked at Mathias' work, and he saw a sketch that was little more than a few lines, Lise standing on the top step of a podium, her F1 car in parc fermé below her.

Mathias was getting ready for her first win, and Nico felt tears welling up in his eyes. They had supported each other for so long, and he knew that Lise wouldn't have made it this far without her brother.

*

They were strolling down the beach when they came across a group of people sitting around, which was unusual for this time of year.

"Grandma Britt?"

Lise ran over to her, the smell of meat cooking on the barbecue as she got closer.

"Surprise, sweetie."

"We thought we'd throw you a little going away party." Kevin hugged her, before giving his mum a hug.

Lise looked at all her friends and family standing here on the beach, all braving the cold January winds just to say good bye to her.

She felt so loved.

***

The German grand prix was an excuse for all the family to come and watch Lise race.

Nico was shocked by how loud the cars were up close, the sound of the electric engines added to with a speaker blasting out the sound of the old V10's.

The paint on the car was able to harvest solar energy, so power saving was no longer an issue.

Nico marvelled at all the technology, he wasn't sure that F1 as he knew it would ever make it this far, but for all the attempts to change it, nothing had really changed in over twenty years.

If he didn't know about the engine being electric and solar powered, he'd never have noticed a difference.

Lise was busy all weekend, everyone wanting to chat to the daughter of Nico Hülkenberg, even though she didn't race with his name.

She handled it all with grace, and Nico was so proud of her, she'd never given up on her dream and now she was here, racing at the closest thing that she had to a home race.

Nico spent the entire race with his fingers crossed for her, and he truly thought that she was going to get her first podium here.

Fourth.

So near and yet so far.

But that didn't stop Lise smiling. "Next race I'm going to be on the podium."

She was right, second in Monaco, and they were all there to celebrate with her.

***

Lise was meant to be coming home for the summer, but she'd chosen to go training with a few friends, although she'd made sure that Mathias was invited along. He was glad for the break before uni started in the autumn.

It was strange the house being empty, so quiet with the kids gone. Now that Kevin had known what it felt like to live in a home filled with happy voices, it was almost eerie without them.

Nico was still asleep, only the occasional snore could be heard, and Kevin finished his coffee. He crept up the stairs, planning on curling up next to Nico while he slept, when he heard their bedroom door creak open.

"I was trying not to wake you."

"It's okay." Nico yawned, smiling as he wandered towards the bathroom, the sound of running water put a smile on Kevin's face, and he realised that it had been a while since they'd had the whole house to themselves.

He slipped out of his t-shirt and boxers, leaving them in a pile in the hall, and he watched as Nico washed his hair, it was mostly grey now, but he was still every bit as beautiful as the first time that he saw him.

"Are you just going to watch?"

Kevin grinned, rushing to join Nico in the shower as the warm water felt like heaven against his skin.

Even Nico's lips, so familiar after all these years, still sent sparks through his body.

His fingers ran over Nico's tattoo, the only one that he had, their two angels.

"It's been so long since we got some alone time."

"It has." Kevin ran his fingers through Nico's hair, staring into his eyes as he let his head fall back against the cool tiles of the shower.

Nico was kissing his way down Kevin's body, worshipping every inch of his skin as he got down on his knees, his soft lips teasing at him before Nico took his cock into his mouth, leaving him breathless from the warmth of it, and he reached down to twist his fingers in Nico's hair, encouraging him as he moaned out loud.

He didn't have to worry about being quiet anymore.

Kevin looked down to see the most beautiful sight, Nico greedily sucking away as he got himself off, his moans vibrating around him as felt his muscles twitch, the familiar warmth building as he cried out in pleasure, Nico gagging as he rushed to swallow it all down.

Nico smiled, and Kevin slid down so that he could sit at the bottom of the shower with him, exchanging lazy kisses as they both got their breath back.

"We're going to have a lot more time for that now that the kids have left home."

***

Christmas came round in a blaze of races and coursework, but they were glad to have the kids home for the holidays.

Kevin was sitting in the kitchen, drinking his coffee as the kids slept, enjoying their lie-ins after a hectic year.

"Fucking McLaren." Kevin shuffled closer to Nico so that he didn't have to talk so loudly.

"They were the ones who offered her a seat." Nico hugged Kevin close, he seemed more upset about it all than Lise did, she'd taken it all in her stride, although she was used to swapping teams at little more than a day's notice, racing wherever she could get the chance.

"I knew that they would do this to her." Kevin had wanted to warn her about them, but he didn't want self-doubt and worry to plague her thoughts, he wanted her to focus on the racing.

"You knew she wasn't going to be happy with sitting on the side line."

"But-"

"But it was her decision."

"I'll call Renault, see if they need another development driver." Kevin reached for his phone, but he stopped when he heard Lise cough.

"Carmen and I have it sorted."

"Sweetie, hi."

"I'm going to race in WEC for the year, with Porsche, and I'm going to be their reserve and test driver for their F1 team at the same time." Lise sat down next to her dad, stealing Nico's toast as Kevin poured her a cup of coffee. "And I did it all without having to mention your name, dad."

"I'm proud of you sweetie."

"I know. I'm not giving up on F1, it's just going to take me a little longer to be world champion."


	44. The Next Generation - 2039

Nico had been lucky to watch Lise's career get back on track, winning the WEC world championship as a rookie, before sliding back into F1 as though she'd never left.

This time it was no longer a struggle to be at the front, she had a good car, and she drove it to the very limit.

Each year Porsche had got closer to winning the constructors' championship, and Lise had kept racking up points in her quest to be world champion, just like her papa before her.

She had worked hard every step of the way, never giving up, and she'd still found time to attend her brother's graduation.

It was the Thursday before the race, and Lise was busy with the media, leaving them to mill around the motorhome and catch up with some familiar faces.

Marcus was sitting out the back of the Jaguar garage, now looked after by Jo, and Kevin was glad to see him. It had been a long while since they'd caught up, and his fiftieth birthday was three years away.

"Hi."

"Hi."

Marcus' smile crinkled, the deep set lines a fond reminder of all the happy times that they'd shared over the years.

"Lise's just one race away from being champion."

"I know." Kevin eased himself down into the chair across from Marcus, and he accepted the coffee that one of the team personnel brought out to him.

"How do you feel?"

"Me, nervous. Her, thrilled." Kevin laughed, it was one of the few things that hadn't changed over the years, still breathless.

"It's different when you're the one racing."

"I'm too old for all that now." Kevin couldn't remember the last time that he'd driven anything other than the family car. He'd taught Mathias how to drive in that car, and it would be a sad day when it had to be replaced.

Marcus smiled as Jo wandered out, his hair almost completely grey, and now shaved short. He was going to have to watch that his scalp didn't burn in the bright Spanish sunlight.

Jo rested his hand on Kevin's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze as he wandered round to sit next to Marcus. Even after all these years they still looked like they were newly in love, and Kevin wondered how everyone had missed it for so long, although from hearing Jo and Marcus talk about it, even they were oblivious to it all.

"You must be excited about Lise?" Jo reached out to hold Marcus' hand, they had never had children of their own, too busy looking after their younger siblings as they got their careers off the ground, and now Jo had his own baby to look after in the form of the Jaguar F1 team.

"I'm so proud of her." Kevin sipped at his coffee, remembering how conflicted he felt when he found out that Nico had been taking her karting at the weekend without telling him. But now, he wouldn't change it for the world. He had seen up close how happy racing made Lise, even when times were tough for her, and that was all that he wanted for her.

Kevin saw Mathias wandering closer, and he smiled at him. "I'm proud of both my children."

"Papa…" Mathias blushed, sitting down next to Kevin as he fidgeted with the can of juice that he had in his hands.

"How's it going at the gallery?" Jo asked, and Mathias spoke at length about what they'd done recently, as well as how his own work was going.

It was easier now that he had a space of his own, although that didn't stop him spending weekends at home, painting in the garden with a view of the sea.

Kevin was happy to have him around, and both his and his sister's room were both still as they left them. It was so rare that they had need for more than one spare bed. Melina still used Lise's room when she came to visit, as they had always shared when she visited as a child.

"Is there a special someone?" Marcus smiled as Mathias blushed some more, the resemblance to his papa uncanny.

Kevin laughed, he knew there was someone, but he'd not managed to get a name, or a description, or any details about them. But he recognised all the signs, the blushing at the phone, the half-finished sentences when the conversation got on to anything remotely connected to them, and the fact that he was very tactical about showing them photos of friends.

"Sam."

There was a lot of cute noises from them all, as Kevin gave Mathias a hug. A name was a good start.

"And when do we get to meet this Sam?"

"When we're ready." Mathias didn't look up from staring at his hands, but Kevin could see that he was smiling.

"Good answer."

*

Kevin caught up with Nico at the back of the motorhome, his fame good enough for him to get a little room to himself, next to Lise's, although she was still busy with German tv, and she was yet to speak to the Danish journalists.

Mathias had been left chatting with Dany, and Kevin had said that he needed a nap, but he just wanted to tell Nico everything that he knew about Mathias' special someone.

"Sam?" Nico smiled, brushing a strand of grey hair out of his eyes, the silver stands shimmering among the golden blond that still remained. "Samuel? Samantha? Just Sam?"

"All I got was Sam." Kevin cuddled in under Nico's arm, both of them lying back on the little bed that was far comfier than it looked from a distance.

"Age? Gender? Occupation?"

Kevin shrugged, and Nico's eyes went wide. "He said they've been friends since uni, so they must be a similar age, and that's all that I got."

"And he used the word 'they'?"

"Yes." Kevin leant in to give Nico a kiss on the forehead. "He'll tell us when he's ready, he's got a lot of common sense, and I'll bet good money that Lise knows a lot more than he's telling us."

"And she'd have told us if she was concerned."

"Exactly." Kevin reached out so that he could wrap his arms around Nico, nuzzling against him as Nico took his glasses off, carefully setting them by the side of the little bed.

This meant one of two things, nap time, or sex time.

Kevin hoped it was the latter.

"It's been years since we've had a chance to fool around in the back of a motorhome." Nico smiled at Kevin, his hands already wandering lower as Kevin grinned.

"It has been a while."

Kevin let out a gasp, and that was all that it took to have Nico diving in for a kiss, his lips dry from the warm weather.

Nico's hands were rushing to pull Kevin on top of him, their legs intertwined, and Kevin buried his face against Nico's chest, his breathless moans warm against his skin.

Kevin groaned when their half hard cocks rubbed together, sparks flying through his body, making it feel new even though they'd done this many times before. The rush of having to keep quiet, by their standards, only made things hotter, and Kevin was rutting against him frantically, the finesse of their earlier lovemaking session absent.

Nico muffled his gasps with a messy kiss, their bodies moving as one, knowing exactly what to do to get the other off, and it wasn't long before they were both breathless and gasping, lying in each other's arms.

"Just like old times." Kevin laughed, cuddling against Nico, his eyes falling shut as Nico stroked his cheek.

***

Each and every lap was like torture to Nico, his breathing ragged as his heart pounded in his chest, banging against his ribs as he tried to stay calm, but his body wasn't getting the message.

Lise started from fifth, but she had made her way up to second by the time that she'd cleared the first corner.

Nico was gripping Kevin's hand with such force that his knuckles were white and Kevin had pins and needles shooting up his arm, but he didn't notice them, he was every bit as focused on the race as Nico was.

Sixty-one laps had never felt so long.

Time stretched out in front of them, memories of bringing the kids to winter testing here at Jerez all resurfacing in vivid glory.

It felt like only yesterday that both of the children were small enough to be carried, everyone in the paddock fussing over them as they soaked up all the attention.

Kevin could never have imagined that one day he would be back here cheering for Lise to be world champion.

Nico wasn't surprised at all. He'd seen the determination in her eyes the very first time that they met, and he knew that she could do whatever she put her mind to.

Including being F1 world champion, just so that her Le Mans trophy wasn't lonely in her flat.

By the time that the chequered flag was waved, Lise was world champion, and Nico had tears in his eyes.

She had done it.

When she was just six years old she had told everyone that she was going to be world champion, and now she had made her dreams come true.

Nico held Kevin tight, the sound of cheering fading into the distance as time sped up, bringing him back to reality.

He couldn't stop grinning.

*

Lise had been out celebrating all night, but her dads hadn't managed to keep up, and they were sure that she wouldn't want them fussing over her all night.

Nico had heard Lise and Mathias coming in from the club just as he was waking up, and he'd got to say goodnight to them both before they collapsed into bed, down for the day.

Kevin was still sound in their room, and Nico crept down to breakfast.

Jo and Marcus were there, and they invited him to join them. He'd managed to get a few pastries in before Kevin came down to join them.

"How's the new world champion?" Jo asked, signalling for the waiter to bring over more coffee for Kevin.

"Hung over." Nico laughed, and he was secretly relieved that she'd not let Mathias get too drunk, since he really wasn't much of a drinker at the best of times.

"When's your flight home?" Marcus asked, reaching out for another slice of toast, none of them having to worry about their weight anymore.

"Late this evening," Kevin said, thanking the waiter for bringing the coffee. "Hopefully the new world champion will have sobered up by then."

They all laughed, over the years they'd all been there, celebrating hard after a long race, and being rewarded with the most spectacular of hangovers the next day.

"We should have a little fun while the kids sleep." Nico shoved a whole croissant as Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"What were you thinking?"

"There's a karting track…" Nico looked them all in the eye, smiling as he challenged them all without raising an eyebrow.

"Sounds like it could be fun." Marcus leant back in his chair, sipping his coffee as he smiled.

Once everyone else had finished breakfast, they headed down to the karting track. Nico sent Lise and Mathias a message telling them where they were going, although he didn't expect to see either before dinner time.

Ten laps, winner would be the first one to cross the finish line.

It was all a blur to Nico, the second that the visor was down all that he was focused on was winning, although it wasn't to be. He tried to run Marcus out wide, get round him, but he ended up spinning, left to trail home last.

Kevin and Jo crossed the finish line at the same time, Marcus just behind them, and that was when the arguments started.

Nico was wandering out for some fresh air when he saw Lise waiting for him.

"Who won?" Lise asked, standing by the kart return, her shades hiding the bags under her eyes and the coffee in her hand was so strong that Nico was awake just from the smell of it.

"It doesn't matter." Nico shrugged, and the sound of the others bickering drifted over. "I haven't heard your papa and Jo argue this much since they were teammates."

Lise laughed, and Nico tried to suppress a smile.

"What are you doing here sweetie?"

"Thought I'd come down and congratulate you on your epic karting win." Lise rushed over for a hug, her coffee still carefully balanced in her hand.

Kevin stuck his tongue out at Jo, and everyone laughed. They were all racers at heart, and their love of all things fast would never fade, nor would the urge to argue about who was the winner rather than call it a tie.

Some things would never change.


	45. Sam - 2045

"It feels like only yesterday that we were getting married." Kevin smiled as he looked down at the chairs lined up in the garden, flowers growing over an arch at the end, the same one that they had got married next to.

"Thankfully planning this was a lot less stressful."

Nico sipped at his coffee as he looked out over the balcony, glad that Mathias had decided to get married in the summer, although that was mostly so that his sister could definitely attend without having to worry about work.

"Hopefully he'll not end up making out with Leo before he walks down the aisle."

"You'll never let that go, will you?" Nico gave Kevin's knee a little squeeze, watching as his smile grew so wide that his eyes were swallowed in a sea of wrinkles.

Kevin laughed, his blue eyes shining out as the sound of a door opening made both of them stay quiet for a second.

Mathias had chosen to stay with them before the wedding, sharing his childhood room with Sam, even though the bed wasn't even close to big enough for both of them. Mathias and Sam's flat in Copenhagen was just a little too far away from them to travel on the day, and Nico could tell that Kevin was thrilled to have them home.

Lise was home for the wedding too, and their house was full of friends and family, with Britt and others taking the overflow.

Nico looked over to see Mathias wandering into their room, his dressing gown wrapped around him as he swept his hair out of his face. It was uncanny how much he looked like a younger version of Kevin, his long blond locks bouncing as he walked.

"Morning sweetie."

"Morning." Mathias yawned, shivering as he wandered out onto the balcony, the early morning breeze still had a slight chill to it. Nico poured him a cup of coffee, and Mathias settled down next to them, his leg jiggling as he held the mug, wisps of steam fading away as the sun crept higher in the sky.

"Nervous?" Nico wrapped his arm around Mathias, holding him close as he smiled.

"No. This feels right."

Nico smiled, and Kevin had to stifle a laugh, the kids had been told many times how crazy their wedding was, although Kevin had always left out the fact that Nico had kissed Paul, in this very room, for which Nico was eternally grateful.

"We're both so proud of you."

"Thank you." Mathias got up to give his papa a hug, and Kevin looked like his smile was going to split his face in two.

Everything was perfect.

Nico remembered when they first met Sam, here in the house, and perfect was the last word that any of them would have used to describe it.

*

"Do you know anything more about this 'Sam'?" Nico asked, and Kevin just shook his head. He'd thought about calling Lise, but he didn't want to put her in an awkward situation with her brother, and Nico was confident that if she had any worries about Mathias' new relationship she'd have shared in with them.

"It will all be fine." Kevin reached out to hold Nico's hand, using his free hand to stir the sauce.

Homemade pizza had seemed like a safe bet, and the smell of tomatoes and herbs made the house feel more homely, especially with the snow on the ground outside.

Lise was already back at the factory, getting ready for the 2040 season.

Nico still felt disorientated by the fact that it was the year 2040, when he was little it had seemed like the far flung future, something from a sci-fi film, but now it was here he felt like nothing had really changed in all his fifty-something years alive.

Kevin was staring at him, and Nico blinked a few times before shaking his head. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Is the oven up to temperature yet?"

"Yes."

"Can you put the pizzas in to cook?"

"Sure." Nico leant in for a kiss, the taste of spicy chicken on Kevin's lips, and Nico couldn't stop smiling.

His nerves faded away as the food cooked, but then when he heard the front door open, all the jittery feelings returned with a vengeance.

He'd never had to do this before. Lise was more focused on her career than dating. She'd had a few brief flings with other racers, but none of them had lasted, and apart from having to remind her about safe sex, which she already knew about, none of them had ever been introduced to him or Kevin. Not as her boyfriend anyway.

Kevin squeezed his hand, and Nico smiled, taking a deep breath as the smell of food calmed him.

"Hi sweetie, we're in the kitchen." Kevin sat down as he sipped from his beer, and Nico tried to look relaxed as he hovered by the oven, checking on the food as a distraction from dealing with how stressful the situation was.

Mathias appeared at the kitchen door, and Nico's eyes darted to him, grinning manically as he tried to hide the nerves that were making his stomach churn.

"Do you want a drink?"

Mathias nodded, and Nico went to the fridge to get two beers. He didn't know if Sam wanted one, but it gave him something to do.

Behind Mathias was a shadow, someone lurking just out of sight and Kevin rushed up to hug them both.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Kevin smiled as Sam blushed, and Nico finally got a good look at him.

Tall. Blond. Glasses.

Nico's eyes went wide, and he was sure that Mathias saw the momentary flicker of surprise.

"This is Sam." Mathias was clinging onto Sam's hand, his knuckles white, and Nico knew that he was causing some of that stress.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." Nico put his hand out to shake, fidgeting with his glasses as Sam did the same, and Kevin stifled a laugh.

Mathias came in for a hug, and Nico squeezed him tight. "It's good to have you home."

"It's good to be home."

Everyone sat down, and there was silence for a second, no-one quite sure what to say, but thankfully the phone rang and served as a useful distraction.

Kevin rushed to get it, but it was clear from the lines across his brow that it wasn't a happy conversation.

"It's Carmen, Lise's been injured in training." Kevin had the phone balanced between his ear and his shoulder, something that was always awkward no matter how much technology advanced.

Nico had always thought that some form of a landline would have remained to this day, even if it was just a tablet with a receiver that you could actually balance while talking. But the younger generations seemed happy to just use the speaker when their hands weren't free, or video calling. Nico was aware that he was fast becoming a relic from another time.

He forced himself to focus, his mind still reeling with the fact that Lise was hurt.

"What happened?" Nico rushed over to be closer to Kevin, listening in as Mathias sat frozen.

"Fell off her bike." Kevin nodded as Carmen told them everything.

"Lise will call you once she's finished getting her x-rays done." Carmen's voice was so calm, although they'd all had a fair few training mishaps of their own over the years. "She's conscious and she's still smiling, she definitely takes after you."

Kevin laughed, and Nico felt the tension in his muscles ease off, taking a deep breath as he realised that there was no longer the smell of warm bread and melted cheese in the air. It had turned to something bitter.

"Fuck, the food." Nico held his hands up in apology, rushing over to the oven, but the second that he opened the door it was clear that dinner wasn't going to be saved.

"I think takeaway would be a good idea." Kevin ended the call, checking that the battery was charged, although Lise would phone Mathias if she couldn't get hold of Nico or him.

Nico watched as Sam comforted Mathias, and he knew then that all his worries, all his fears, were completely unfounded. He could see the love between them, and it filled him with happiness.

He had just hung up the phone, food ordered for all of them, when Kevin's phone rang, and he smiled the second that the video appeared on the screen.

"Hi papa." Lise's voice boomed out of the speakers, and everyone crowded around to see her. "It's just a fracture, it'll be healed well before the season starts."

"Hey bro. Hey Sam."

"I told you that she knew." Nico laughed, and Kevin smiled, waving back at Lise as she showed off her scar.

"A big sister knows all." Lise laughed, someone handing her a glass of juice, and Kevin raised an eyebrow.

Mathias blushed, and Nico wondered what Lise hadn't been telling them about the mystery juice-holding stranger, but she'd tell them when she was ready.

The rest of the evening was easier after that, the conversation flowing as Nico tried to eat like a normal person and failed. Mathias mumbling something about how embarrassing he was, but from the way he was smiling it didn't bother him as much as his rolled eyes suggested.

Mathias ended up watching cheesy movies with Sam as Nico and Kevin cleared up, and by the time that they were thinking of leaving the two of them to it, Mathias was asleep on Sam's lap, their fingers intertwined as soft snores filled the room.

Sam was stroking Mathias' hair, looking at him like he was the most wonderful thing in the world, and Nico couldn't help but smile.

*

"We knew then that the two of you were going to live happily ever after." Kevin smiled, reaching out to hold Mathias' hand.

"I can't believe you remember all that." There was a creak, and Mathias' eyes darted to the door. Lise was standing there in a hoodie and sweatpants, smiling as Nico poured her a cup of coffee.

"When you were injured back then, who was your mystery man?" Kevin asked, waiting for Lise to get comfy.

"You know him." Lise grinned, winking at her papa, and Kevin looked at Nico.

"Please tell me it's not Will."

Lise held her hands up, her brow rippled with fear and Mathias sniggered. "Uncle Will? No…"

Nico breathed a sigh of relief, but his mind was still trying to connect the dots.

"Leo?"

"No." Lise shuddered comically, Leo was more like a cousin, or another brother, and she'd never thought of him in that kind of way.

Nico thought back, and an image sprung into his mind. A racer that Lise had always ended up in the same series as, who was always the first to congratulate her, and who was always hanging around at the back of her garage.

"Stefan?" The first time that Nico had met him he was coming to apologise to Lise for crashing into her, ending the race for both of them. He had lurked until Lise was alone, fidgeting with his sweat-damp hair, dark blond locks that looked darker in the dim light of the garage. Nico had been prepared to break up a fight. There was a lot of hand gestures, and then they were both laughing, the incident long forgotten.

Lise smiled, nodding as Mathias laughed, slowly clapping while Nico looked confused.

"You said you weren't dating anyone?"

"It's not like that, it's just a casual thing."

"A casual thing? For five years?"

"Yes." Lise shrugged, and Mathias tried to hide his smile with his mug.

Nico tried to process it all, but he knew there was nothing that he could say to that. "As long as you're happy."

"I am."

*

Nico spent the day watching Lise and Stefan, now that he knew, he couldn't believe that he hadn't worked it all out before. The way he looked at her said it all, and the fact that Lise had bothered to invite Stefan to her brother's wedding was a sure sign that it wasn't quite just a casual thing in her mind.

It was lovely to see both of his children so happy, and the sight of Lise standing next to her brother, the most fitting best man, as Mathias got married, had tears welling up in his eyes.

Kevin reached out to hold his hand, and Nico knew that for all his career successes, this was the thing that he was most proud of.

His family.


	46. Grandpa - 2049

"Everyone, this is Ana."

Mathias had in his arms a little girl, her head buried against his shoulder as Sam stood next to them, smiling as Ana's hand reached out for another sweetie.

Kevin was rushing towards her as Nico went to stand up before taking a second to let his back adjust to the sudden movement.

Lise gave Nico a hand up, Stefan sitting patiently as Kevin fussed over Ana.

But it was clear that Ana was overwhelmed by all the people.

"We're going to get the cake, and ice cream," Nico said, nodding at Lise, and she leapt into action, dragging Stefan towards the kitchen as Nico followed.

"It's so nice to see Mathias so happy," Lise said, once they were out of earshot, and Nico nodded.

"They make an adorable family," Stefan added, and Nico had to fight to supress a grin.

Lise and Stefan's 'casual' thing had been going on for nearly a decade, and even though they lived together, and raced together, Nico had never heard Lise refer to Stefan as her boyfriend.

"It'll be you two next." Nico stuck out his tongue, raising an eyebrow as Lise and Stefan both laughed manically.

"I'm fine with being cool Auntie Lise." She glanced at Stefan who just nodded in agreement, and Nico held his hands up as though he was surrendering.

"As long as you're happy sweetie." Nico went in for a hug, Lise instantly transforming into his little girl as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so proud of you."

Lise had three world championships, and she was proud of each and every one of them, but she knew that they were nothing compared to how lucky she was to have a loving family, and Stefan by her side.

"I couldn't be happier." Lise gave Nico a kiss on the cheek, when a shriek of laughter made them all jump.

"Sounds like Ana is ready for cake." Nico resisted the urge to eat some on the way, and when he wandered back through to the living room, Ana was sitting on the sofa with her Grandpa Kevin, both of them grinning as he drew pictures for her to colour in.

"Would you like some cake?" Nico asked, showing her the gooey chocolate cake that was piled high on the plate.

"Yes, please."

Nico sat the plate down in front of her, but before she could take a bite, Sam came to sit down next to her.

"What do you say?"

Ana smiled, glancing up as she reached out for the cake. "Thank you, Grandad Nico."

"You are welcome, sweetie." Nico shuffled over so that he could sit next to Kevin, and Lise went back to sharing a chair with Stefan, both of them curled up together as Ana messily ate her chocolate cake.

Everyone laughed as she licked at her chocolate covered hands, making more of a mess as Mathias hurried to wipe it all up. Ana was grinning as she licked the last of the chocolate from her lips, and Nico was smiling with pride.

She was definitely going to take after her Grandad Nico.

Kevin still couldn't believe that this day had come, he was finally a grandparent, and he relished the thought of being able to spoil Ana.

Now that Mathias and Sam were living in Roskilde, it meant that they had much more time together, and Nico and he were on hand to help out with babysitting when needed.

It was like a dream come true.

***

Ana went to the same school that Mathias and Lise had gone to, the same one that Kevin himself had attended all those decades ago.

Every day after school Kevin and Nico went to pick her up, looking after her until Mathias or Sam got back from the city.

It meant that they got to spend lots of time together, and Kevin was thrilled to have everyone around for dinner in the evenings.

Nico knew that since the kids had left home, Kevin had felt like something was missing, and as grateful as they were for some alone time, it was nice to hear a chorus of happy voices sitting around the dinner table, all smiling and eating as they chatted away about their day.

Their house felt like a home again.

***

Kevin stumbled through the door with a collection of shopping bags, and Nico looked on with a mixture of fascination and horror.

"I thought you were just going out to get a couple of things?" Nico shuffled over to help Kevin with the bags, and that was when he saw all the goodies that Kevin had bought.

Presents for Ana. Kevin had balanced in his hands what appeared to be hundreds of gifts, most of them were sparkly and bright coloured, a dizzying array of toys and clothes.

"I went to get one thing… But then there were so many pretty things and I just couldn't help myself."

Kevin smiled, and Nico felt his heart swell with love. "I'm sure that she'll love them."

"Will you help me wrap them all before we pick her up from school?" Kevin leant in for a hug, even after all these years, nothing felt as good as having Nico's arms wrapped around him, his scent familiar and the warmth of his body comforting in a way that was satisfying on a primal level.

An hour later, between kisses and hugs, all the boxes were wrapped up and sitting under the Christmas tree, the lights flickering and making the wrapping paper sparkle with all the colours of the rainbow.

"It feels like years since we got to do this." Kevin reached out to hold Nico's hand, giving it a little squeeze as the lights reflected from Nico's glasses.

"Lise and Mathias got too old for all this." Nico remembered the first year after Mathias had left home, the freedom was a thrill after so long having to sneak about. They had made love in every room of the house, something that they had never got round to doing when they first moved in, too busy with planning the wedding and the adoption process.

"They did, but it was still fun doing it for just you." Kevin pointed to a box that was covered in black velvet, one that Nico didn't remember seeing earlier.

A little alarm went off, and Kevin smiled, flying into action as he got wrapped up warm, ready to go and pick Ana up from school.

*

Ana was watching a movie, Kevin singing along with her as Nico made dinner, unable to stop himself from humming the tune as he chopped up the vegetables.

The door opened, and Sam peered around, a smile on his face as he headed for the coffee machine.

"How was your day?"

"Busy." Sam sat down on a stool across from where Nico was cooking, sipping at his coffee as a half-smile crossed his face. "I've taken Friday afternoon off so you two can get your flight to Monaco."

Nico smiled, he'd known that Kevin was planning something, but he hadn't known what. Even after thirty years married, Kevin was still a romantic at heart.

"Thank you. Ana will be happy to have her dad pick her up from school."

"I'm so excited for our first Christmas together."

Nico found himself grinning, it didn't seem that long ago that he was preparing for Lise and Mathias' first Christmas with them.

"Ana's going to be spoilt rotten, Kevin went on a shopping spree for her."

Sam laughed, it was soft and kind, and Nico was glad that Mathias had found such a wonderful guy to spend the rest of his life with.

"My family have done the same, they're all so excited to come and visit."

"If you need any extra space, people are welcome to stay here."

"Thanks, Nico." Sam came round for a hug, and Nico felt tears welling up in his eyes.

He was so proud of his beautiful family.

***

Friday was slow coming round, and Nico was bubbling with excitement as he waited for Kevin to hand him the small velvet box, about the size of a plane ticket.

Nico tried to look confused, but he was sure that it came out more like dazed. Kevin was staring at him as he held the box, his leg jiggling and brushing against him, sending sparks through his body and making him feel as though they were teenagers in love again.

The smell of chocolate cake wafted over, Nico had devoured it the instant that Kevin had deemed it cool enough to eat. Just the sight of a mug cake always made Nico happy, remembering that first time that Kevin had tried to make one for him, and the resultant tasty mess that it had created.

"Are you just going to stare at it?"

Nico blinked as he came back to reality, the velvet box soft against his wrinkled hands, and he opened it slowly.

Two plane tickets to Monaco.

"Happy Anniversary." Kevin leant in for a kiss, his lips a familiar comfort. "I thought that we could go back to where we had our first date."

Nico rested his forehead against Kevin's, staring into his deep blue eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too." Kevin reached out to hold Nico's trembling hand, even though he knew what the surprise was, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the emotion of it all.

"We've got an hour before we need to leave for the airport." Kevin leant in for another kiss. "I've already packed your bag for you."

"You spoil me."

"Every chance I get." Kevin kissed Nico on the forehead, leading him towards the bedroom so that they could check that everything was ready for their trip.

*

Kevin had slept for the entire flight, looking angelic the whole time, and they landed just in time to get dinner, which made Nico happy.

It was strange being back in Monaco and staying in a hotel, before they'd always come to visit people and just stayed with them. Especially with the kids, staying with Paul and his family had always made sense so that the kids could hang out together. Although if they were going to have a fun weekend celebrating their anniversary, they didn't want to be worrying about who might overhear them.

Nico shivered as the sun set, holding Kevin's hand as they strolled through the streets of Monaco, enjoying the lack of snow as they looked out over the ocean. They wandered past the Café du Paris, and Nico couldn't help but smile, squeezing Kevin's hand as his grin shone out.

"It seems like just yesterday that I was in there, sitting across from the most beautiful guy that I'd ever seen, blushing as I tried to work out how to suggest a second date." Nico stopped walking, sitting down on his suitcase as he stared at the café, Kevin still holding his hand as his cheeky grin was cranked up to its maximum setting.

He pictured them both sitting by the window, his red trainers dazzling everyone who walked by as he watched Kevin sip his coffee, just the sight of his lips wrapped around the cup sending his thoughts into overdrive.

Nico thanked his lucky stars, and Checo, every time he thought about how he met Kevin. He was so grateful to have had the chance for them to meet again, even if it was a strange quirk of fate, and a shiver ran down his spine when he considered the idea that they could have missed each other.

Nico couldn't imagine his life without Kevin and the kids.

He looked up at the bright blue eyes that were staring at him, and Nico felt so completely loved.

"I love you so much."

"I love you too." Kevin took Nico's hand, giving him a kiss on the cheek as he helped him to his feet, and he held his hand tight as they wandered to the hotel, both grinning like idiots.

*

The first thing Nico saw were the flowers in the room, their vivid colours bringing a smile to his face, and when he looked over at Kevin he had a big grin on his face.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"How does a nice long bath sound?" Nico fidgeted with his glasses, blushing as though he was newly in love again, rather than a man celebrating his thirtieth wedding anniversary with his husband.

"Sounds perfect." Kevin dropped his bag, letting it tumble onto the floor as he wrapped his arms around Nico's shoulders, pulling him down into a passionate kiss as he backed Nico against the wall, their bodies pressing together as Nico let out a needy moan.

Nico's hands were running down Kevin's back, tugging at his jumper as he found a way in. Kevin gasped as Nico's cold hands made contact with his skin, the contrast like fire and ice, and Nico pulled Kevin closer, deepening the kiss as Kevin's tongue found its way into his mouth, moving in time with his body as he rubbed up against him.

Gasping for air, Nico buried his face against Kevin's shoulder, his half hard cock filling out as Kevin's talented tongue teased at his ear, his heavy breathing arousing in a way that had him begging for more through desperate whimpers, words failing him as the lust took over.

"I think we should move this to the bath," Kevin said, each word soft and sensual, sending sparks through Nico's body. "Make the mess easier to clean up."

Nico shivered in anticipation, inhaling Kevin's scent, familiar and comforting, like freshly baked cookies.

"Messy. I like the sound of that."

Kevin had a twinkle in his eyes as he rushed to undress Nico, both of them fumbling with buttons and zips as they made their way to the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes as the cool air had goose bumps rippling over their skin.

The warm steam from the bath made the atmosphere more sensual, and Nico couldn't keep his hands to himself, taking every opportunity to kiss and caress Kevin. Nico loved how even the lightest strokes made Kevin writhe in pleasure, his breathless moans drowning out the sound of running water.

"You are so beautiful," Nico whispered, delighting in Kevin's gasp. "You get more beautiful every day."

"So do you." Kevin let his teeth scrape over Nico's shoulder, making him groan in pleasure.

Nico rushed to turn off the taps, testing the water with his hand before sliding in, spreading his legs wide so that there was space for Kevin to snuggle in between them.

His glasses steamed up, and he took them off, glad that Kevin was close enough that he could still see enough of him without them. Kevin's bright blue eyes were shining out at him, and he wrapped his arms around him, kissing his way down the side of his neck as Kevin let out a groan, wriggling as he tried to encourage Nico's hands to work their way a little lower.

"I'll do anything that you want me to." Nico let his hand slide down to rest on Kevin's inner thigh, millimetres away from his hard cock and Nico grinned as Kevin let out a frustrated groan. Kevin loved being made to wait for his release, especially now that they were both a little older, and Nico couldn't keep up with his sexual appetite the way he had when they were younger.

Not that it stopped him finding new ways to please Kevin, his tongue always in demand, and he was only too happy to oblige.

Kevin pressed back against Nico, trapping his hard cock between their bodies, and even without looking at him, Nico knew that Kevin was grinning like he'd just eaten the last bite of cake.

"I want your cock inside me."

"Your wish is my command." Nico laughed, splashing the water everywhere as he reached down so that his fingers could circle Kevin's hole, teasing as Kevin leant back against his chest, the warmth of his body pressed against his cock left him breathless, and Nico waited until he felt him relax before sliding a finger inside him.

Kevin's moans echoed around the bathroom, making him sound even louder, and Nico brushed over that spot just to see how loud Kevin could get, his muscles twitching around him as the warm water helped work him open.

"You feel so good." Nico let his tongue linger on each word, his breath warm on Kevin's ear as he slid a second finger inside him, holding him tight with his free arm, making sure that he felt safe and secure in his embrace.

Kevin let out a groan, rocking his hips as he worked Nico's fingers deeper, his hands gripping at Nico's knees as Nico added a third finger. His muscles fluttered, his cock leaking as Nico brushed against his prostate one last time, nuzzling against the side of his neck as he whispered how beautiful Kevin looked.

"I'll look even better with your cock inside me."

Nico definitely agreed with that.

Kevin turned so that he could face Nico, forcing Nico's fingers out as he twisted in the limited space, and Nico held him for a second, their lips pressed together as Kevin moved himself into position, hovering above Nico's hard cock.

Nico held his hips steady, now that Kevin had retired from racing he had a few extra pounds for him to hang on to while they were making love, and Nico loved every single bit of him.

Kevin was facing away from him, his back stretched out in front of him as his muscles rippled, a beautiful sight as the water dripped down his body, glinting in the light as Nico pressed the tip of his cock to Kevin's hole. Kevin turned to look over his shoulder, and he had a cheeky grin on his face that contorted into a look of sheer pleasure as he sunk down onto Nico's cock.

"I love your cock," Kevin gasped as he slowly eased himself down, Nico holding him tight so that he couldn't rush, and Nico found himself taking deep breaths so that he could last longer, focusing on satisfying Kevin rather than himself.

Just the sight of Kevin's cheeks wrapped around his cock had his muscles twitching in anticipation, and he slowed the pace down, almost completely withdrawing before thrusting back in, the warm water splashing around them as their bodies met.

Nico felt Kevin clench around him, his moans pained as he reached down to stroke at his cock, but Nico got there before him, gently stroking his cock as he sat up so that his chest was pressed against Kevin's back, allowing him to kiss Kevin easily, their bodies moving as one as Nico held him tight.

Water splashed everywhere, Kevin's hand wrapped over Nico's as he helped stroke himself to climax, warm come spilling over their hands as Kevin screamed in pleasure, Nico's lips doing little to muffle the noise as he gasped through his own orgasm, shuddering inside Kevin and prolonging his orgasm.

"You're amazing," Kevin said between gasps, still catching his breath as he leant back against Nico, their bodies still joined as Nico wrapped him up in his arms.

"Satisfied?" Nico stuck his tongue out and Kevin took it as an invitation for another kiss. When Kevin pulled back Nico saw that he was using his most angelic grin, and Nico knew that he wasn't done yet.

"For now."

*

Thirty-six hours later Nico was amazed that Kevin could walk after all the lovemaking, and the grin on his face advertised to the world that he was truly satisfied with it.

Nico was holding Kevin's hand as they strolled through the streets of Monaco, heading towards Café du Paris.

They merged into the crowd of tourists and locals alike, all enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon of coffee and cake, and Nico felt his heart racing at the sight of a little table by the window.

"I got them to save this table for us." Kevin smiled at Nico as he led him to the table, the smell of bitter coffee and sweet cake overloading Nico's senses and making him feel dizzy with the rush of it all.

Tears welled up in Nico's eyes, and Kevin gave him a hug, holding him tight as he stroked his back.

"I love you now every bit as much as I did that day." Kevin sat down across from him, and the waiter rushed over with a pot of coffee, and a slice of red velvet cake.

"I love you too." Nico reached out to hold Kevin's hand, their legs touching underneath the table as Nico tried to find the words to express how much he loved Kevin. "I have treasured every day that we have spent together, each and every second that I get to spend by your side is the greatest gift."

Kevin bit his lip, the blush on his cheeks a beautiful sight, and Nico reached out to cup the side of his face.

"Thirty-seven years, six months and twenty-two days ago we had our first date here." Kevin nuzzled against Nico's hand, the sight of his wedding ring glinting in the light had tears of joy bubbling up. "And now we've been married for thirty years. I'm so grateful that you're my husband and a wonderful dad to our children. I can't believe that we're grandparents now, this is all that I could have dreamt of and more, and it's even more special because I get to share it all with you."

Nico felt a tear running down his cheek, and Kevin brushed it away with his thumb.

"I love you more than words will ever be able to express." Nico raised his coffee cup as though he was proposing a toast.

"To many more wonderful years together."


	47. The Big Five-O - 2069

Nico woke up to the sound of Kevin talking to someone on the phone, and as he wandered down, the stairs creaking under his unsteady feet, he realised that Kevin was whispering as he approached.

"Morning, my angel."

Kevin hurried to hang up the phone, and when he turned to face Nico he had the biggest grin on his face.

"You will never guess who was on the phone." Kevin picked up his walking cane as he rushed over to the coffee pot, his hands shaking as he poured it into a mug, and Nico slowly made his way over to him.

Nico gave Kevin a kiss on his forehead, the wrinkles across his brow now a permanent feature, a beautiful reminder of all the times that he had smiled. Kevin's grin was shining out, and there was a twinkle in his eyes.

"Who was calling?" Nico sipped at his coffee, giving him a better chance of carrying it to the sofa without spilling it.

Kevin smiled, taking Nico's free hand as they wandered through to the living room, both of them moving carefully as they looked out for any stray toys that little Lukas might have left lying around after Ana and her wife, Maria, visited last night.

Nico had almost fainted the first time that he heard Lukas call him great-grandad, whereas Kevin was thrilled from the second that he found out he was going to be great-grandpa to a happy little boy, and he was still beaming with pride at the latest addition to their family.

It had been lovely having everyone around, even Lise was home for the holidays, although her and Stefan had probably woken up hours ago and gone for a walk down the beach, even though there was snow on the ground outside.

Kevin was still grinning when they finally sat down on the sofa, and Nico stared at him until he spoke.

"It was Dany, they're opening a museum dedicated to the history of F1, and they want us all to attend the opening." Kevin was bouncing on the sofa, the years fading as he turned into a hyperactive teenager, and Nico couldn't help but smile.

Nico held his arms out and Kevin stopped bouncing, allowing Nico to hug him as he took a deep breath, snuggling in closer so that he could steal his warmth.

"It's going to be a reunion, for all of us, it's been far too long since we last saw some of our friends."

Kevin sniffed, and Nico looked down to see tears streaming down his cheeks. Nico kissed them away, his arms still wrapped around him as he whispered to Kevin how much he was loved and cared for. 

Nico thought back to the last time that they'd seen a lot of their friends from their racing days. He hadn't bothered with a celebration for his eightieth, they were too busy helping Ana with her wedding, and seeing his granddaughter happy had been the best present that Nico could have asked for. Which meant that the last time they'd actually seen people was…

Kevin's seventieth. More than seven years ago.

Nico felt all of his eighty-two years on the earth rush up in a wave of conflicting emotions, happiness rolled together with the sad, and he was overwhelmed by it all. Tears were streaming down his face as he held Kevin close, so glad for everything that they had got to experience together, and all the things that he had because of Kevin.

He could never have imagined a future where he had a great-grandchild, or how much he would love little Lukas, even though he had only spent a few days with him so far.

Nico was in awe of the amazing life that he'd lived, and he felt humbled by it all.

"I can't believe how long it's been."

Kevin wiped his nose on his sleeve and Nico smiled as he wrinkled up his nose, giving Kevin a kiss on the cheek before reaching out for his laptop. Even after all these years, he just liked having something with a keyboard, and if that made him old-fashioned, as Ana was fond of telling him, then he was fine was with that.

"I think we need to book some flights. Where is the reunion?"

"Silverstone."

***

Travel had got faster, and thankfully security was a lot less time consuming than it had been when they were travelling every week for work.

Mathias had wanted to come, it was a great opportunity for him to see a lot of his 'uncles', and Ana hadn't seen a lot of them since she was a little girl, so she was coming along, with Maria and little Lukas in tow.

It had turned into a big family holiday, and Kevin was loving every second of it, drawing pictures for Lukas to colour in on the flight and grinning as he delighted in each and every one of them.

Nico remembered Kevin drawing for Lise and Mathias when they were little, and he was sure it was only a matter of time before Lukas was colouring in the multitude of tattoos that Kevin had, the same as his mum had when she was little.

The second that they landed, Kevin was looking around for his little girl, even though she was far too old for all of that, but it never failed to make Lise smile.

Lise had agreed to pick them up from the airport, since work meant that she was still based Britain for the some of the year, looking after the next generation of up and coming women racers, just as Carmen had been there for her.

The second that she saw them she rushed up to hug her dads, and she looked so happy to see her family, four generations all smiling and happy.

"It's so good to see you all." Lise took her papa's arm, escorting him as he walked, even though he said that the cane was only for decoration, Nico knew that Kevin wasn't as steady on his feet as he used to be.

"Stefan's here too so that he can help carry all the luggage."

Public transport was definitely easier than it used to be, but it didn't solve the problem of carrying all the luggage, but thankfully Lise had thought ahead. Stefan's German efficiency was rubbing off on her, although she'd always been organised.

Nico always smiled when he thought about Lise and Stefan, and their thirty year relationship that had never had labels, but it worked for them. He was just glad that Lise was happy, that was all that he ever wanted for her.

Once, many years ago, while tipsy at a party, Nico had asked Stefan if he loved Lise, and he had said, without hesitation, 'yes.'

But it wasn't the words that convinced Nico, it was the look in Stefan's eyes at the mere mention of Lise's name. He was clearly head over heels in love with her.

Stefan rushed up to greet little Lukas, he'd never met him in person, and yet Nico could see that Lukas recognised him from video calls, his eyes lighting up as he held his arms up so that Stefan could lift him.

Nico was roused from his thoughts by someone squeezing his hand, and he looked over to see Kevin standing next to him, a smile on his face and a tear in his eye.

"Thank you so much for our beautiful family."

Nico was speechless, but he didn't need words, not with Kevin. He brushed the tear off his cheek, and leant in closer as he wrapped his arm around Kevin's waist, holding him close as they watched everyone catch up, laughing and smiling as though they'd never been apart.

It was the most wonderful sight.

*

Lise and Stefan's flat was crowded with all of them staying there, but even if they'd booked hotels, no-one had wanted to leave, and they stayed up late into the night, Kevin and Lukas both dozing as the party went on around them.

Stefan was sitting on Lise's lap, the lack of chairs not a problem for them, and Ana was curled up next to Maria, both glad of the little break while great-grandpa Kevin had entertained Lukas.

"Are you excited about the museum opening tomorrow?" Stefan asked, and Nico nodded, excitement rushing through his veins as he reached out to hold Kevin's hand, hoping that it wouldn't disturb him, or Lukas who was sleeping on Kevin's lap.

Kevin's hand instinctively closed around Nico's and a smile crept onto his face as he continued softly snoring.

"I can't believe how long it's been since I've seen some of my racing friends." It was easier to keep in touch with a lot of their other friends, people who had children a similar age to Lise and Mathias, or Ana, who lived in Roskilde. He saw most of them weekly at one thing or another, or even just at the shops, but he couldn't remember the last time that he'd seen Paul.

They had been so close, their kids described each other as cousins, and yet he wasn't sure when Lise or Mathias had last been in contact with Leo.

"Have you spoken to Leo recently?" Nico reached out for his hot chocolate, but he couldn't quite get it without disturbing Kevin, and Stefan jumped up to the rescue.

"Thank you."

"We saw Leo not that long ago," Lise said, "and he's coming with his dad tomorrow."

Nico smiled, wondering why he hadn't thought to just call Paul and ask, but he was glad that he was getting a chance to see him again after all these years.

"I need a hand with something else for tomorrow." Nico nodded towards the kitchen, carefully slipping his hand away from Kevin's as Ana came to take his place by Kevin's side.

Once Nico and Lise were alone, he smiled, and Lise had on her most devious grin.

"So, what's the plan?"

***

Nico woke up to an empty bed, and he froze until the sound of the world came rushing in, Kevin's laugh clear to him even from another room.

He wandered through to the living room, the sofa still folded out and the airbed that Lise and Stefan had slept on was stashed behind it as little Lukas lay out colouring next to Kevin, both of them looking thrilled at the masses of drawings surrounding them on the bed.

Nico fidgeted with his glasses, watching as Lise shuffled onto Stefan's lap so that he could sit down, and Nico gratefully accepted the cup of coffee that was pushed in his direction.

"The car is coming to pick you and papa up at eleven," Lise said, between bites of her toast, "and we'll follow in my car since there's not going to be space for all of us, or the car seat for Lukas, in a classic car."

"I promise I'll be ready by then." Nico laughed, his coffee sloshing out of the cup as he sat it down on the table which only made him laugh more.

He had packed a suit, the same light grey one that he'd worn to Ana's wedding, and Kevin had packed his dazzling blue suit, which matched his eyes. Kevin had decided that now he no longer had sponsors telling him what to wear, he was going to go wild fashion wise, and it had led to a lot of interesting fashion choices.

Kevin smiled, and Nico had to fight to keep a grin off his face.

"I can't wait to see everyone again."

"Me too."

*

Nico stood with his mouth hanging open when he saw a Porsche pull up outside Lise's flat. It was the exact same model that he had stashed away in his garage, only brought out for special occasions and amusing the little ones.

He'd last got it out for Kevin's birthday, and they'd driven along the coast until they found somewhere quiet for lunch, making out on the beach in between feeding each other chocolates. Just the memory of it brought a smile to Nico's face, and he could tell that Kevin felt the same.

Giving Kevin's hand a little squeeze, Nico led him to the passenger door, holding the door open for him and making him feel like they were on a date.

Everyone waved to them as they set off, and Kevin couldn't stop grinning as the engine roared into life, the contrast startling since they were so used to electric vehicles and their near-silent running.

Nico couldn't stop smiling, occasionally reaching across to hold Kevin's hand as they made their way towards the museum.

By the time that they pulled up outside the museum Kevin was fidgeting in his seat, the excitement clear, and Nico felt like his skin was going to split if his grin got any wider.

"Are you ready for this?" Nico asked, and Kevin nodded, waiting for Nico to come round and open the door for him before stepping out.

The car park was filled with a lot of very old and very expensive cars, but he expected nothing less from ex-racers. It was something that would always run in their blood, and the older that they got, the less they had to worry about the consequences.

Kevin glanced around, looking for any sign of Lise's car, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Must have got held up in traffic," Kevin mumbled to himself, and Nico nodded, leading him towards the entrance.

It was quiet, but there were still people coming and going, a few media people carrying cameras and microphones, and he didn't give it a second thought. He didn't see Nico's grin morphing into something devilish, and even if he had, Kevin wouldn't have realised why until he stepped through the door.

He caught sight of an old F1 car, the one that he'd won his first F1 championship with. Its eye-catching yellow paint was every bit as bright as he remembered it, and he felt overwhelmed by it all.

Nico had wrapped his arm around his waist holding him tight as tears welled up in his eyes, but that wasn't the only thing that had caught his eye.

Dany.

Even with long grey hair obscuring half of his face, his eyes were unmistakable.

"It's so good to see you." Dany went in for a hug, and Kevin felt envious for a second, he was barely into his forties when he'd started going bald, same as his dad, yet here Dany was in his seventies with all his hair intact. Hair dye would take decades off him.

"It's been too long." Kevin felt the tears returning, and only Nico squeezing his hand kept him grounded.

Over Dany's shoulder, Kevin saw Lise talking to Will as they strolled through the museum, pushing Jo's wheelchair as they told her all the stories about her dads racing.

Kevin suddenly felt his heart pound when he realised that Marcus wasn't with them, and he had an awful feeling that a friend had passed away without him knowing about it. His mouth felt dry and he swayed on the spot, prompting Nico and Dany to help him to a seat, Mathias rushing over with a glass of water.

Lukas shrieked with happiness, and Kevin's head snapped round to see him. A man with silver-grey hair was crouched down next to Lukas, and it wasn't until he saw a flash of the man's eyes that Kevin realised who it was.

Marcus had let Lukas sit in one of the cars, and they were both thrilled about it.

"I'm okay, I'm just a little overwhelmed."

Nico sat next to him, holding his hand as he took in the people around him. So many racers from the different eras, all chatting and reminiscing about their glory days.

It was a beautiful sight, and he could feel his heart swelling with love.

"Uncle Nico!"

Kevin took a second to place the voice, the hint of a Scottish accent even though they had never lived there, and he looked up to see Leo, his arm linked with his father's as they made their way towards them.

Paul sat down next to Nico, Leo fussing over him as he rested his walking stick by the side of the chair.

"Papa!" Lise's voice was much louder than the low rumble of people chatting away. She was waving for Kevin to come over, and Leo offered him a hand up, taking his arm as they wandered across to see what Lise wanted.

Nico reached out to rest his hand on Paul's knee, and he smiled when Paul rested his hand on top of it.

"Your hands are still cold." Nico laughed, Paul smiling as he gave his hand a little squeeze, the tension fading and making it feel like they'd never been apart.

"Always." Paul laughed but it came out more like a cough, and Nico handed him the glass of water that Kevin had left sitting. "Thank you."

"I've been meaning to call…"

"Me too." Paul gave Nico's hand another little squeeze. "Leo keeps asking me to move in with him, but I don't want to leave the house where he was raised, there's so many happy memories there."

"If you ever want some company, you just have to ask. I think my joints would be glad for the warm weather." Nico smiled, his attention diverted for a second as Stoffel strolled in, moving as though he was in his fifties rather than his seventies. He was wearing motorcycle leathers and carrying a helmet, proving that it wasn't just a fashion choice, and Nico wondered how he stayed young.

"Christmas in Monaco sounds good." Paul's smile turned into a grin, and from the way that Lise and Leo kept glancing over at them, it was already a done deal.

"When did our kids get so sneaky?" Nico shook his head, smiling as he thought about how they always managed to get what they wanted.

"They learned from the best." Paul snorted in laughter as Lukas came rushing over to them, Sam scurrying after him with a look of terror on his face, but Lukas made it unscathed.

"They're about to unveil Lise's thing," Sam whispered, and Lukas clung onto his grandad, traces of chocolate cake around his mouth as he smiled at all the things going on around him.

"We'll be right behind you." Nico gave himself a moment to prepare for standing up.

Once he was on his feet he helped Paul up, and it turned into a hug as the crowds disappeared off to another part of the museum.

"I love you." Paul's voice was little more than a whisper, so soft that Nico could almost believe that he'd imagined it, but then he was pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek.

Nico felt his heart race, the comforting feeling of having one of his oldest friends close by.

"I love you too."

*

Nico had slowly made his way through the crowd that were gathered round a display with all of Lise's old racing memorabilia, including the car that she'd won her first F1 championship in.

Paul was still holding his hand, and he made sure that Leo was supporting him before going up to see Lise and Kevin.

"The man that we've been waiting for, my dad, Nico." Lise smiled as everyone gave him a little round of applause. "He's the one that took me karting for the very first time, and I will be forever grateful to my whole family for all their support."

Kevin had tears welling up in his eyes, and Nico held him close as Lise told everyone about her dramatic path to F1, and how proud she was to be a champion like her papa.

At the end, everyone gave her a big round of applause, and it turned into a family group hug as Nico tried to keep the tears from falling.

"I'm so proud of you." Nico felt Lise's tears against his cheek, and he held his family close, little Lukas still smiling and clapping as they all sniffed, smiling through the tears of joy.

Kevin wobbled a little, and the hug dissolved, Mathias not moving from his papa's side until Nico was on the other side, leading him towards the chairs at the edge of the room.

Nico looked out across the milling crowd to see a familiar smile, and freckles that had only got more prominent over the years.

"Checo?"

"Surprise!" Checo smiled, his grey hair still had a few streaks of black, making him look like a magician.

Nico went in for a hug as Kevin waited his turn, it had definitely been too long since they'd all seen each other.

"Mathias, congratulations on being a grandpa."

"Thank you, Uncle Checo." Mathias smiled as he rushed in for a hug, and Checo ruffled his hair as he had when he was just a little boy. "I've finally joined the club."

Checo laughed, rummaging around in his pockets to show everyone the latest addition to his family.

"This is little Esteban, my youngest just adopted him." Checo waited for everyone to sit down before passing the phone around.

Everyone was fawning over the photos as Mathias went to fetch more drinks, and other people drifted over when they heard people making cute noises.

Nico turned to see Jo sitting next to him, Marcus leaning on his wheelchair for support, and he suddenly felt a little sad for him.

"Do you ever wish that you'd had children?"

"Nope." Jo smiled, glancing at Marcus who just grinned, they'd clearly talked about it many times over the years. "My dream was always to run an F1 team, and that took one hundred percent commitment."

"My little brothers kept me busy, and I was happy being cool Uncle Marcus to a lot of very awesome children." Marcus smiled as Lise and Mathias came back with drinks, and Lise scrunched up her nose as she blushed.

"You were the coolest uncle," Lise said, sticking her tongue out at Jo who tried to look offended, but only ended up laughing even more.

"I don't think I will ever meet anyone who has more aunts and uncles than us." Mathias squished in next to his papa, giving him a hug, and Kevin rested his head on Mathias' shoulder.

"You can't sleep yet, we've got the rest of the museum to see." Nico gave Kevin a kiss on the cheek, and the smile that it brought to his face made him feel pure joy.

He knew that seeing all the old cars and memorabilia would make Kevin even happier.

*

Seeing all the old photos had made him feel young again, like it was just yesterday that they were all racing each other. Even the photos of Lise had him feeling nostalgic for when the kids were little, although they were always his babies, even if they were in their fifties now.

Mathias being a grandpa was still too much to process, even though he loved Lukas with every atom in his body.

Kevin realised that the museum had got quiet, and that Nico was the only other person around. There was no sign of the kids, or the other riders, and for a moment Kevin worried that the museum had closed with them still in it.

Nico led him towards what looked like a fire escape, and Kevin was bracing himself for the sounds of alarms, but there was a different kind of shock in store for him.

Friends and family were all standing there waiting for them, beside a huge cake that must have been picked by Nico, and a banner that read:

_Happy 50 th Wedding Anniversary_

Kevin felt his heart race, and he saw a flicker of fear cross Nico's face. He reached out his hand, and Nico slipped his arm around his waist as he looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm okay, I'm just surprised." Kevin let Nico hold him, his breathing erratic as he processed it all.

Nico had arranged for all their friends to come and celebrate their anniversary with them, in a museum filled with memorabilia from their careers.

"The kids were in on this, weren't they?" Kevin looked at Lise, who stuck out her tongue as Mathias blushed.

"Dad said that you'd been nostalgic lately, and we just wanted to give you a little blast from the past."

Kevin rushed over to the kids, Nico trying to keep up with him, and it turned into a group hug, mostly so that they could all hold each other up.

"I love you, I love you all." Kevin had tears welling up in his eyes.

"This isn't even the best part." Nico grinned, and Kevin wondered what Nico could have arranged that would top all of this.

Kevin gasped, and Lise took his hand. "Close your eyes."

"I'm not sure that's such a great idea." Kevin held Lise's hand, walking with small steps towards the chill of the winter air, glad when Nico's hand found his.

He took a few more steps, and then he was leaning against a metal barrier, the kind that race tracks use. Although that wasn't a surprise being at Silverstone.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Kevin bit his lip, his breath hanging in the air as he heard a sniffle from behind him.

"Go for it."

There were seven classic cars lined up on the start-finish straight, all from the era when they were racing, including the Porsche that Nico had won Le Mans in.

It was overwhelming, and Kevin wondered who was going to be lucky enough to get to drive them. He just assumed it would be Lise and her fellow racers, the younger ones, but then he saw Mathias holding out a pair of racing overalls.

"We thought you might like to take one out for a spin?" Mathias smiled, and it was the spitting image of Kevin's cheeky grin.

"Fuck yeah!" Kevin covered his mouth in shock as everyone laughed, and he was glad that there was no sign of little Lukas right now. Hopefully he was busy enjoying some cake with his mama.

"Follow me."

There was a trail of ex-racers, all following Mathias to one of the garages so that they could get changed, and each and every one of them was grinning like they'd won the lottery.

It was surprising how much more mobile some of them became now that there was a chance to race again.

Kevin found that his hands were more than willing to zip up his overalls, even though they had struggled to open an envelope less than a week ago. He watched as the others looked years younger, and Kevin could have sworn that Stoffel almost looked thirty again.

"Thank you for doing this." Kevin went in to hug Nico, and he just pointed at Lise.

"Someone used a lot of her connections to make this happen."

"I was happy to." Lise gave her papa a kiss on the cheek, and he felt the tears returning, but the sight of the old Renault car chased them away.

"We're going to go and take photos of you all as you race," Lise said, dragging her brother away, although it took her a while to get out of the garage as she gave all of her uncles a hug on the way out, before whispering something to Carmen, leaving them both smiling.

"Last one to the finish line gets the drinks in tonight." Carmen tossed her hair back over her shoulder, time had been kind to her.

Jo was the last one into his car, one of the many ones that had been adapted for other racers that were like him over the years.

The sound of all the old petrol engines revving up filled Kevin's heart with joy, and the smell of the fumes made him feel like he was on top of the world.

"I love you more every single day that we're together. I have more than fifty years of love stored up and sometimes it feels like my heart is going to burst."

"Happy anniversary, my love." Nico leant in for a kiss, and for that moment, everything was perfect with the world.

*

Lise was standing by the barrier, snapping away as her dads raced each other around the track. The roar of the engines brought back wonderful memories for her.

Even though there was no-one keeping score, it was all for fun, they were all racing as though they were out to win the world championship.

Stefan was standing by her side, and she was so happy to have him there, he'd helped her pull all of this together, just so that her dads and their friends could go racing again. That was true love.

Ana was next to her, she'd watched Lise race when she was young, but there hadn't been another racer in the family after that. Although there was still time for that.

Lukas was in his grandad's arms, watching the cars with fascination as Sam made sure that his ear protectors stayed in place.

Ana was tugging on her jacket sleeve, and Lise turned to face her. "Auntie Lise?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"How did grandpa and grandad meet?"

Lise laughed, a deep chuckle, she'd been told the story many times over the years, and she'd filled in a lot of the other details from her aunts and uncles. Plus lots of gossip from Leo about when their dads were teammates.

"That is the craziest story. It all started when your Grandpa Kevin was just ten years old…"

**Author's Note:**

> With huge thanks to Becci and Lucy, and everyone else who has given ideas and support for this fic (it's going to be a long one!)
> 
> *and obviously none of this actually happened, it is all a figment of my twisted imagination ;)


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